Inside the Huge New Factory That Will Build DC’s Metro Trains

Have you ever been bored on the Metro, glanced around, and noticed a little badge indicating where the car was actually built? Many of the DC Metro’s current trains were constructed by Kawasaki in Lincoln, Nebraska. Some older ones—which you might still encounter—originated in the unlikely location of Pistoia, a medieval city in Tuscany. No Metro cars have ever been manufactured in the Washington area.

But starting in 2028, you’ll be able to ride on a train that was built here. The 8000 series cars will be assembled at a new $100 million Hitachi factory in Hagerstown. WMATA has ordered 256 of them—part of a $2.2 billion contract stipulating that Hitachi has to make the trains here.

Hitachi recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the plant, offering a first look at the 307,000-squar