The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has signed a $724 million contract with Japanese company Hitachi Rail to supply 200 M5 railcars, with an option for an additional 40 railcars. The agreement will be partially funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, amounting to $317 million.
The new railcars will feature an automatic door control system, regenerative braking technology, a digital passenger information system, and in-car navigation displays. All M5 railcar sets will have a walk-through design, providing easy passage between cars. The interior will include designated spaces for passengers with reduced mobility, strollers, and bicycles. Deliveries of the railcars are scheduled for 2029-2031.
The M5 railcars will be assembled at Hitachi Rail’s American plant in Hagerstown, Maryland. Construction of this facility began in the fall of 2022, with an investment of $70 million. The plant will also manufacture 8000-series Metrorail cars for Washington, D.C., under a $1 billion contract signed in 2020.
