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Miami-Dade Welcomes High-Performance Train; First New Metrorail Vehicles in 33 Years
For the first time since its opening in 1984, the Metrorail system operated by the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) introduced a new train into service with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Nov. 30.
The four-car high-performance vehicle from Hitachi Rail Italy, unveiled at the ceremony, is the first of 136 new railcars that will comprise a new fleet operating on the 25-mile system. By July 2018, DTPW expects that it will have replaced half the cars needed to operate at peak levels, with enough new railcars for peak revenue service by the end of 2019.
“Hitachi Rail designed our new Metrorail trains exclusively for Miami-Dade County. This means that there are no other rail trains like ours in the world,” said DTPW Director Alice N. Bravo. “Thanks to Hitachi Rail, the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) and DTPW staff, we were able to place the first Metrorail train into service just 20 months after assembly began. Moving forward, as new Metrorail trains are phased in, riders will begin to see improvements in service and enjoy a more comfortable ride.”
High-tech elements of each new vehicle include automated announcements with upgraded sound; digital signs displaying the name of the upcoming station; four digital monitors for extensive media content; high-capacity, high-speed Wi-Fi that will allow 252 passengers to surf the web while on board; interior bicycle racks; security cameras; and energy-efficient LED lighting.
Funding for the new railcars comes from approximately $313.8 million in surtax funds from the Miami-Dade People’s Transportation Plan, overseen by the CITT.
![](http://passengertransport.apta.com/aptapt/editor_images/Miami-Dade%20new%20train.jpg)
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Crowds prepare to board the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works’ first new Metrorail train from Hitachi Rail Italy.
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