DC Metro 8000 Series: The Fleet of the Future | WMATA

A mock-up of the Hitachi Rail 8000-series trains for the DC Metro made its debut at the Fleet of the Future Expo at the National Mall.

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Washington Metro
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

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"Step back, doors closing..."

On March 20, 2024, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) revealed a nearly half-sized mockup of the new 8000-series Metro trains.

The Fleet of the Future Expo took place right outside of Smithsonian Station on the National Mall, where this is the first preview event of its kind for the organization since the unveiling of the 1000-series cars in 1968.

With styling cues from trains past, the Hitachi 8000-series cars will feature more standing room and bench seats, which will be similar to those on the 7000-series. Vector art will line the walls, as well as a litany of electronic displays showing real-time data. Built at a new facility Hagerstown, MD—about 70 miles outside of DC—the cars themselves will keep their dimensions at 75 feet long and about 10 feet wide for 150-foot pairs, with the new open gangway connecting the pairs.

There are several new mechanisms in place for both passengers and operators. On the passenger side, the trains will host 33 monitors along the walls and at the seats showing system maps, stations stops and occasional ads. This mockup also gave two different seat heights, as the organization is relying on public feedback to decide. But the main selling point is the open gangway for each married pair. And keeping this HIGHLY-REQUESTED feature within pairs instead of full sets allows for better handling in the maintenance yards.

Staff also gave us an up-close look another interesting feature: heated floors.

There likely won’t be charging ports onboard due to the short rides of the average passenger, as well as concerns about hacking, vandalism and the like. But there will be WiFi, and the possibility of charging ports at the stations. The improved interior layout of the trains allows more space for luggage and bikes, as well as ADA accessibility. And these trains will have three-sided hand poles inspired by the Paris Metro, for those who don’t want to hang on near the doors or don’t want to have to reach up for the ceiling bars. Popular in the public forum, the 8000-series cars will be giving up a small number of traditional seats in favor of benches and more standing room, allowing for more capacity onboard.

And then on the operator side, there will be cameras and live feeds showing whether or not the doors are open. Currently, operators have to look outside the trains, relying on lights by the doors. But this isn’t always practical, considering the 600-foot length of an 8-car train let alone a 6-car train. The 8000-series will also have automated announcements, and can be switched between manual and automatic train operation or ATO. But as the existing signaling systems are upgraded, WMATA hopes to see fully-automated train service in the future, powered by communications-based train control. Seen at airports, this type of system essentially allows the trains to talk to each other. This can also lead to shortened headways and increased frequency between trains.

Speaking with management, staff and engineers, I learned that as new stock comes in, there are plans to return the Yellow Line to Greenbelt. As for the 8000-series stock, we shouldn’t expect them to be online until 2027, to replace the Brayda 2000/3000 series and POSSIBLY the Alstom 6000s. The number of cars—between 256 and 800—will ultimately depend on demand and ridership. WMATA expects to launch 16 new cars a month, but you can also expect to see MORE 6 car trains since logically, it allows the organization to spread out their equipment, hence the current rise in 7000-series trains in 6-car configurations on the Silver Line.

In the end, WMATA expects the 7000 and 8000-series trains to make up their entire rolling stock.

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2024 by Javan Hamilton

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