From March 20th to April 3rd, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s new 8000 series rail cars were on display in Washington D.C.’s National Mall. D.C. residents and visitors were able to experience the new cars in all of their glory, with walkthroughs available for free to all bypassers at their “Fleet of the Future” event. Models of their new seats, floors, and maps were also exhibited on the Mall.
The 256 cars in their most advanced 8000 series fleet, set to be released in 2026, were first commissioned in March 2021 by a contract agreement with Hitachi Rail for $2.2 billion. Among some of the innovative features added to the new cars are heated floors and WiFi. Open passageways will also be implemented, allowing passengers to safely and easily move between cars while traveling. These snazzy new Metro cars will be replacing the 2000 and 3000 series cars, which have been in use since the 1980s, and will join the current 7000 series.
Woodgrove students who were lucky enough to take a peek at the innovative train cars were heavily impressed by the new additions. Senior Cecilia Condie went inside the new Metro car exhibit in March and was pleasantly surprised by the changes made. “I’m excited for the new seats…they were more comfortable,” Condie expressed, while also sharing that the new cars felt more open and airy than the current ones in use by the WMATA. Another Woodgrove student, junior Samantha Mare, shared “I am excited for the new metro cars because it will make going into D.C. more enjoyable.”
As the new 8000 series Metro cars are slowly introduced in the next couple of years, metro passengers will hopefully gain a more seamless, pleasant experience from the alterations made.
