SEPTA awards contract for modern Market-Frankford Line trains

Credit: Hitachi Rail

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has announced that it has awarded a contract to Hitachi Rail STS USA, Inc. for the purchase of 200 new trains to upgrade the Market-Frankford Line fleet, with an option for 40 additional units. The base contract is valued at $724.3 million, with delivery starting in 2029 and full fleet completion by the end of 2031.

“The Market-Frankford Line is SEPTA’s workhorse – moving tens of thousands of people every day to work, school, medical appointments and many other destinations,” said SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. “This is a critically needed upgrade to our fleet, and the SEPTA Board will work closely with staff to ensure that this procurement proceeds on-schedule and on-budget.”

The project is supported by a $317 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA), part of the Rail Vehicle Replacement Program funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This programme has invested $1.3 billion nationwide to replace outdated rail vehicles.

The new trains will enhance the customer experience with features such as:

• Accessible spaces for passengers with mobility devices, prams or bicycles
• Automatic door operation
• Digital wayfinding displays with real-time data
• Regenerative braking to conserve energy
• Open gangways for increased passenger flow and visibility for law enforcement
• Greater passenger capacity
• Enhanced passenger communication system
• Longitudinal seating
• Handholds for standees.

“Replacing this fleet is the top priority in our capital improvement plan, and we are grateful for the support of the Southeast Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation in securing this funding,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “I also want to assure our customers that we have a dedicated staff of mechanics and engineers who are working hard to keep our current Market-Frankford Line fleet safe and reliable while we prepare for the arrival of the new railcars.”

The trains will be assembled at Hitachi Rail’s new factory in Hagerstown, Maryland, which uses advanced green and digital technology. This initiative will create skilled manufacturing and engineering jobs in Philadelphia, the Commonwealth and the Northeast.