DC Metro 8000 Series: The Fleet of the Future | WMATA

A mock-up of the Hitachi Rail 8000-series trains for the DC Metro made its debut at the Fleet of the Future Expo at the National Mall.
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Blue Line: • DC Metro Blue Line - D...
Orange Line: • DC Metro Orange Line -...
Yellow Line: • DC Metro Yellow Line -...
Green Line: • DC Metro Green Line - ...
Silver Line: • DC Metro Silver Line -...
Washington Metro
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
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"Step back, doors closing..."
On March 20, 2024, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) revealed a nearly half-sized mockup of the new 8000-series Metro trains.
The Fleet of the Future Expo took place right outside of Smithsonian Station on the National Mall, where this is the first preview event of its kind for the organization since the unveiling of the 1000-series cars in 1968.
With styling cues from trains past, the Hitachi 8000-series cars will feature more standing room and bench seats, which will be similar to those on the 7000-series. Vector art will line the walls, as well as a litany of electronic displays showing real-time data. Built at a new facility Hagerstown, MD-about 70 miles outside of DC-the cars themselves will keep their dimensions at 75 feet long and about 10 feet wide for 150-foot pairs, with the new open gangway connecting the pairs.
There are several new mechanisms in place for both passengers and operators. On the passenger side, the trains will host 33 monitors along the walls and at the seats showing system maps, stations stops and occasional ads. This mockup also gave two different seat heights, as the organization is relying on public feedback to decide. But the main selling point is the open gangway for each married pair. And keeping this HIGHLY-REQUESTED feature within pairs instead of full sets allows for better handling in the maintenance yards.
Staff also gave us an up-close look another interesting feature: heated floors.
There likely won’t be charging ports onboard due to the short rides of the average passenger, as well as concerns about hacking, vandalism and the like. But there will be WiFi, and the possibility of charging ports at the stations. The improved interior layout of the trains allows more space for luggage and bikes, as well as ADA accessibility. And these trains will have three-sided hand poles inspired by the Paris Metro, for those who don’t want to hang on near the doors or don’t want to have to reach up for the ceiling bars. Popular in the public forum, the 8000-series cars will be giving up a small number of traditional seats in favor of benches and more standing room, allowing for more capacity onboard.
And then on the operator side, there will be cameras and live feeds showing whether or not the doors are open. Currently, operators have to look outside the trains, relying on lights by the doors. But this isn’t always practical, considering the 600-foot length of an 8-car train let alone a 6-car train. The 8000-series will also have automated announcements, and can be switched between manual and automatic train operation or ATO. But as the existing signaling systems are upgraded, WMATA hopes to see fully-automated train service in the future, powered by communications-based train control. Seen at airports, this type of system essentially allows the trains to talk to each other. This can also lead to shortened headways and increased frequency between trains.
Speaking with management, staff and engineers, I learned that as new stock comes in, there are plans to return the Yellow Line to Greenbelt. As for the 8000-series stock, we shouldn’t expect them to be online until 2027, to replace the Brayda 2000/3000 series and POSSIBLY the Alstom 6000s. The number of cars-between 256 and 800-will ultimately depend on demand and ridership. WMATA expects to launch 16 new cars a month, but you can also expect to see MORE 6 car trains since logically, it allows the organization to spread out their equipment, hence the current rise in 7000-series trains in 6-car configurations on the Silver Line.
In the end, WMATA expects the 7000 and 8000-series trains to make up their entire rolling stock.
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2024 by Javan Hamilton
#railfans #train #railway #subway

[@legomta-munipalssubways2762]

The face of it kinda looks identical to the MTA R211A/T/S Subway car

[@Cousinduck01]

About dang time they show the cars in person

[@lojosol]

**bingbong** Doors opening. This is a blue line train to Largo. When Boarding, move to the center of the car. The next stop is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. **Bingbong** Step back, doors closing.

[@dubstepphene82]

That's pretty neat ! I like those ! This is one of the things that I miss about my hometown of Washington, DC.

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

That's for watching. 💯 I love this city.

[@louiszhang3050]

I like the bench to normal seating ratio! I think they've achieved a pretty happy medium for the level of service they're trying to achieve.

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

Yes, I'm pretty optimistic. But naturally, people will have a litany of things to nitpick anyway once they *do* go live.

[@TuesdayOra]

I’m glad I had visited this since I was able to give my feedback on this, mainly so I could suggest having a human read out the automated announcements since they’re typically pre-recorded like they are on the 7000-series

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

I'm glad you said that. Other people have said similar while I was there as well. I totally agree.

[@ThatUnknownProPlayer2024]

Looks like the R211 train like the MTA has

[@Sponge_Bobby2024]

Can't wait for these to enter service!

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

Likewise. I brought my friend today to go see it.

[@Sponge_Bobby2024]

@@JavanHamiltonTV Oh wow, I actually saw them today, but i was on the bus for a school field trip so i couldn't get a closer look

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

@@Sponge_Bobby2024 That's wassup. So we were probably out there around the same time, then. There were a lot of buses around the mall.

[@Sponge_Bobby2024]

@@JavanHamiltonTV Yea there we're

[@car_tar3882]

Rode yesterday in an absolutely crammed 7k series still better than driving but these can’t come soon enough.

[@reactortechroblox]

the exterior of those cars look awesome, cant wait until they enter service

[@zacharythomason7359]

Great video my guy , Can't wait for these to drop.

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

Likewise. Thank you.

[@Markjenson1894]

Zachary, so make sure you continue to jump over the turnstiles when these trains come into use so they will quickly fall into disrepair when the WMATA budget is still at a deficit.

[@SG118P]

Eventually, they will be testing 8000 series trains soon and what the motor will sound like when it becomes testing

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

That reminds me-I saw the Avelias for Amtrak the other day, so I definitely want to ride those when they launch.

[@ZekeGBlox]

it's def gonna sound just like Miami's from the same manufacturer

[@airbus7373]

USB ports are planned to be installed at a later date. These are a massive upgrade to the 7000 series for sure. The 6000 series should remain in service for a little while longer

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

They really *do* need USB ports. If we're stuck on the Silver Line for an over an hour to get to Dulles, the least they could do is give us charging ports. All modern transport should have them.

[@TheLordAI]

These cars remind me Alot of the R211s in NYC

[@PaulClipMaster]

This is not the final design and also not the true scale. You'll notice Car A only has 2 doors. In reality, each car will have 3 doors per side like the current fleet. The final design will be similar to this but different in the end. Just like with the 7000 series, I'm anxious to finally hear what they sound like. Each WMATA generation had a unique sound (except the 2k, 3k and 4k series when first delivered. Today the 2k, 3k, and 6k sound identical. The 5k's hand a similar sound to the 6k's but not identical. To date, the 5k's had my favorite sound, followed by the 1k's after their rehab). I hope the 8k's sound different from anything in the current fleet.

[@SandBoxJohn]

How they sound is of little importance to me, their performance capability is what will sell me. What few are aware of is WMATA reduced the performance profile of the fleet back in the early 1990s to reduce the wear on the 1k cars. All of cars are capable of in service acceleration and breaking rates that are greater the what they are today, the original performance profile was 0 to 65 MPH in 65 seconds, the present day performance profile is 0 to 65 MPH in 95 seconds.

[@PaulClipMaster]

@@SandBoxJohn I believe that was to save energy. Fast acceleration requires a lot of power and it can also make standing passengers fall or injure themselves.

[@SandBoxJohn]

@@PaulClipMaster It was wear, as the 1k cars developed stress cracks from running at that higher performance profile in the lower corners of the door opening nearest to the ends of the cars. Those stress cracks were repaired when discovered prior to their mid life rehabilitation and in some cases during their mid life rehabilitation. The 1k cars were mid life rehabilitated in the mid to late 1990s.

[@lojosol]

I prefer the 7000 series train announcements. true they are text to speech, but the voice is not too fast, and it is clear what train you are on as well as where the train will stop next. Additionally, I love the announcement as the train is getting ready to stop "Doors opening on the (left/right)". I know when I hear this announcement it's time to get near the door to exit.

[@FukeTheLightingFox]

It looks similar to the 7000 series and also it's replacing the 2000 and 3000 series

[@trainnadimamtrakthomasalle9037]

I’m worried that the 8000 series might replace the 7000 series, the 7000 series had problems over the years

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

🙂 Most, if not all of those problems, seem to have been taken care of. So based on speaking with operators and some of the management personnel, the 7000s shouldn't be going away anytime soon. If you'll notice, they're starting to add placards with the car number over the entry doors. So they're still investing in them.

[@trainnadimamtrakthomasalle9037]

@@JavanHamiltonTVoh, I couldn’t help but worry about the 7000 series

[@thegreypenguin5097]

are the doors at the same place as 7000 jic they decide to add PSDs in the future?

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

From what they told me, the doors will be in the same place. The seats are rearranged within that.

[@xenialew]

Good subway train, does this subway train have dynamic platform displays, similar to the new subway trains in China, South Korea, Japan, and France?

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

Unlikely.

[@YourFavoriteBorderHopper32]

The only thing about this I know I won't like is -the heated floors -the seats look so uncomfortable Like what's the point of heated floors Like ain't no one is walking bare foot to feel the temperature of the floor

[@TheLordAI]

So are these gonna retire the series 7000 series ?

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

03:36

[@lojosol]

No they are going to replace aall the rolling stock prior to the 7000 series. WMATA intends to run only 7000 and 8000 series trains once they add the 8000's to the fleet.

[@JaxBrubaker-po8ld]

This railcar will be in service I think 2025 or 2026 is what they said on the news

[@gtavstepfordcounty1733]

2027

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

The date I mentioned is the date given to me by WMATA management at the event. Cheers.

[@Elitaholic]

7000 series are getting replaced by the 8000 series 😢😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

They are not. I didn't say that in this video, nor has that been stated by the organization. Please don't spread misinformation.

[@Elitaholic]

NAH 😠😡 I DIDN'T KNOW THAT AND I DID NOT ASK YOU

[@leatherman88ch]

Nobody calls it wmta it's always called Metro

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

No sh*t, Sherlock... I'm referring to the parent company.

[@lojosol]

you're right nobody calls it wmta. they call it WMATA. also, it depends on what you are referring to. if you are referring to the trains, then yes, it's just called the metro. if you are referring to the parent company of the metro, it's called WMATA.

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

I'm going there again with my friends! 🤍🖤💙🩵🩶

[@JavanHamiltonTV]

You're smart. I brought a friend of mine there as well, a couple of days after this.

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

​@@JavanHamiltonTVNo way, that is SO COOL! I went there 3 times in a row on days 1, 14, and 15! The ✨🌌 Fleet of the Future Expo 🌌✨ event was super fun! I can't wait to see the real deal in 2026 when the 8000-Series Train premieres by then! #FleetOfTheFuturePremiere2026

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

​@@JavanHamiltonTVAlso, thanks! 😁