128 of the new rail cars, known as Series 7000, will be used on the Dulles Rail Corridor and will be funded by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. The remaining 300 railcars will be used to replace WMATA’s oldest trains. The Series 7000 railcars will be safer, more spacious, with more legroom and an improved passenger information system, compared to the old Washington urban trains.

“Today’s award is significant because it allows us to follow through on a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation, and to address our top safety priority – retirement of the original Series 1000 rail cars, which are more than 30 years old. The new rail cars will also enable us to expand the Metrorail system on the new Dulles line,” said Metro Interim General Manager Richard Sarles.

The Dulles Corridor is a 3-mile extension of the existing Metrorail system and will be operated by the WMATA from East Falls Church to Washington Dulles International Airport west to Ashburn. The extension includes 11 new Metrorail stations, a new rail yard on Dulles Airport property and improvements to an existing rail yard at the West Falls Church Station.

Kawasaki should start delivering the trains already in 2013 with all 428 cars going in to operation by 2016.

Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., was selected based on having the best overall technical proposal, as well as the lowest cost.

WMATA currently has a fleet of 1,142 rail cars ranging from the Series 1000 to 6000.

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