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Hitachi Opens $100 Million Smart Railcar Plant in Maryland as First Cars Ship for Testing

The plant showcases Hitachi’s U.S. build‑local strategy using advanced automation.

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A laser generated vehicle transports the train cars to various stations for assembly in the new Hitachi Rail plant in Hagerstown. Hitachi Rail opened a state-of-the-art train manufacturing facility in Hagerstown. The 300,000 sq. ft $100 million digital factory facility will showcase, smart manufacturing, with more than $30 million in digital enhancements including additive manufacturing tech and AI robots and drones to identify defects. Designed to deliver up to 20 railcars per month for North American customers in the D.C., Baltimore, Pennsylvania and Ontario regions.
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Overview

  • The 307,000‑square‑foot Hagerstown facility targets up to 20 railcars per month and deploys AI tools including 3D vision, drones and robotic dogs, with carbon‑neutral operations powered largely by on‑site solar.
  • Orders in hand include 78 cars and a new signaling system for Baltimore’s subway (about $400 million) and 256 cars for Washington Metro under a contract valued around $750 million with options for additional cars.
  • Six Baltimore Metro cars have been delivered for integration testing, and the Maryland Transit Administration says the first new trains should enter service before the end of 2025.
  • Washington Metro expects cars from the plant to start testing in the second half of 2027 with full deployment in 2028, according to GM Randy Clarke.
  • Hitachi plans to ramp the workforce to about 500 on site by 2027 and aims to match or exceed its recent $12 billion U.S. investment by around 2030.