Kawasaki Rail Car

WMATA/Metro and KRC on Feb. 5 announced their “resolution of several ongoing contract disputes regarding, among other things, the 2021 Blue Line derailment of a 7000-series railcar which led to the entire 7000-series fleet being grounded.” (WMATA 7000-Series railcars, courtesy Wikipedia)

Transit Briefs: WMATA/KRC, NCDOT, PennDOT

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA/Metro) and Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. (KRC) resolve their 7000-Series railcars disputes. Also, a new North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) study confirms that restoring Salisbury-to-Asheville passenger rail service would benefit the economy, job opportunities, and public transit in the area and the state; and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) advances the Scranton-to-New York Penn Station Passenger Rail Corridor project.

Kawasaki’s R268 cars for New York City Transit will run on the “B” division and be designed with specs similar to its R211 cars (pictured). (MTA Photograph)

Kawasaki to Supply 378 More ‘B’ Division Cars to NYCT

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Board has approved the purchase of 378 new Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.-built R268 rapid transit cars for New York City Transit (NYCT), which will run on the “B” (lettered) division and be designed with specs similar to the those for the R211 cars, according to MTA.

Now in service on NYCT’s B Line: an RS11A/S trainset from Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. (Photograph at the Brighton Beach station; Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYCT, MDOT MTA

The first trainset of R211A/S (traditional closed-end) cars to operate on the MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) B Line enters service. Also, Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) releases its inaugural customer experience action plan.

“Between improved reliability, safety enhancements, and amenities, R211 cars will make a world of difference for G train riders,” MTA NYCT President Demetrius Crichlow said March 4. “The R211 [rapid transit] cars are state of the art and less prone to breakdowns, which means smoother trips and more reliable service for decades to come.” The cars operate with an open gangway; NYCT debuted them on the C line in 2024. (Marc A. Hermann / MTA)

Transit Briefs: NYCT, NJT, LACMTA, Tri-Rail, Fort Worth

The first set of Kawasaki-built open-gangway rapid transit cars is now running on MTA New York City Transit’s (NYCT) crosstown G line. Also, New Jersey Transit (NJT) is speeding up efforts to replace windows on all Multilevel commuter railcars in revenue service; Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) is expanding a pilot program that screens riders for weapons; South Florida’s Tri-Rail commuter rail system may face a $90 million annual deficit; and Fort Worth, Tex., eyes a downtown rail system.

NYMTA Exercising 435-car R211 Option

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is exercising Option 2 with Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. for 435 additional R211 rapid transit railcars—355 R211A/S (traditional closed-end) cars and 80 R211T open-gangway cars.

Kawasaki Marks 5K U.S. Railcars

Since its 1979 entry into the U.S. market, Kawasaki Rail Car, the U.S. subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, has delivered more than $12 billion worth of railcars. On Oct. 9, the company

The goal of removing from service WMATA’s aging 2000-series rapid transit cars is to leave “a more reliable fleet of newer vehicles” that will result in “fewer offloads and delays,” the agency reported May 9. (WMATA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: WMATA, SCVTA, Québec

Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) is officially retiring its 1980s-era equipment from Italian firm Breda (now Hitachi Rail Italy). Also, the 2024 federal budget allocates $500 million to Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s (SCVTA) BART Silicon Valley Extension Project in California; a new public transit development agency is eyed for Québec; and more transit-oriented development (TOD) is planned for Montréal.

WMATA Addressing ‘Pressing’ Problem

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has begun a wheelset retrofit program on its problematic 748-unit Kawasaki Rail USA 7000-series railcar fleet to return them to service and resume a “normal”

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