Hagerstown-Based Train Factory Will Sustain 1,300 Jobs In Region, Build Next Generation of Metro Cars, Open in Early 2024
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today joined Hitachi Rail CEO Andrew Barr and other elected officials at the site of the future Hitachi Rail factory in Hagerstown for the unveiling of the final designs and images. The $70 million factory and 800-yard test track, expected to be complete in 2024 along Greencastle Pike, will create 460 direct jobs, sustain 1,300 jobs in the region and be capable of building trains of all types to meet the demand in the North American market.
“It is exciting to see the new Hitachi Rail factory coming together as the associated economic benefits—including 1,300 jobs—will be an absolute game changer for Washington County as well as the entire region,” said Governor Hogan. “This transformative project is further proof that the Hagerstown region is a major logistical center for rail transportation with unparalleled connections to the Northeastern United States, and is yet another shining example that Maryland is truly open for business.”
Today’s design reveal included a construction update from Ryan Companies, the lead site developer. Since the project was announced in March 2022, the land has been cleared and a concrete deck and the majority of the external concrete walls have been completed. In total, the project will use more than 1,000 tons of steel and more than 12,000 cubic yards of concrete, enough to almost fill four Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Once complete, the factory will begin work to deliver its first order: 256 new 8000-series railcars for Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro). The contract, announced in March 2021, includes options for up to 800 cars to be built. When fully operational, the factory will be able to complete up to 20 railcars per month in a single shift, with the capability to produce a wide range of trains from metro to high-speed services.
“With construction of our new train $70 million factory on schedule and progressing well, we are one step closer to delivering a new, high-quality fleet for the Washington, D.C., region’s Metro. It is exciting to be able to release the final designs of our new facility with its cutting-edge Lumada technology. Manufacturing pioneering trains is core to our business, and this factory, with its new workforce, will have the capability to build trains for all of North America,” said Hitachi Rail Group CEO Andrew Barr.
The construction and operation of the factory will be a major economic boost, with nearly 60 percent of the construction value of the factory to be spent with suppliers from across the region. Small businesses are expected to benefit too, with more than a quarter of the total expenditure anticipated to go to Small Business Enterprises (SBEs). In addition, it is expected that once the company begins to hire in early 2024 and reaches 1,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs, those earnings will total more than $350 million per year.
The Maryland Department of Commerce and Washington County worked with Hitachi Rail to bring this project to fruition, and will continue to assist the company as it moves forward in building the new facility.
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