Hitachi Rail Italy presents new railcar for Miami-Dade County. Photo: courtesy of Hitachi Rail Italy.
In a ceremony at the Hitachi Rail Italy factory in Medley, Fla., attended by Miami Mayor Carlos Gimenez and the Japanese Consul General Ken Okaniwa, Hitachi Rail Italy presented the first new Metro vehicle for Miami-Dade County. The ceremony saw the unveiling of the first two cars of train number 1 (out of 68 trains in total) that Hitachi Rail Italy is manufacturing for the city in Florida.
“Fully respecting the contractual deadline, we have delivered a product which we particularly care for, and not only for commercial reasons,” said Maurizio Manfellotto, CEO of Hitachi Rail Italy. “The award of this contract marked the return of Hitachi Rail Italy to the United States after about ten years of absence from the heavy rail market. Therefore it is highly symbolic and encouraging for all of us.”
The contract with Miami-Dade Metro is worth approximately $300 million. The contract is for a total of 68 trains, including 136 cars. Each vehicle is 45.8 m long, 3.11 m wide and can reach a max speed of 75 km/h. The carbody structure is stainless steel, and the interior fittings are light alloy with integrated lighting and solutions of modular assembly.
“We are focusing on the American market– because we can offer a range of products, from driverless metros to traditional metros, with a variety of innovative solutions to meet the requirements of customers,” said Andrea Pepi, head of Hitachi Rail Italy strategies and sales division.