Skip to content

Global Railcar Manufacturer Hitachi Rail Chooses Washington County for New Facility

Global Railcar Manufacturer Hitachi Rail Chooses Washington County for New Facility

HAGERSTOWN, MD (March 21, 2022) – The Washington County Department of Business Development proudly announces Hitachi Rail has selected Washington County, Maryland as the home for their new railcar manufacturing operations as a part of a major U.S. expansion. The company plans to build a $70M, 300,000 square-foot facility at 11903 Greencastle Pike in Washington County, MD. This project will create up to 460 new full-time jobs and help sustain 1,300 jobs in the region. This new facility will allow Hitachi to fulfill its $2.2B contract with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to build its new fleet of 8000-series railcars. Roughly 60 percent of the construction value of this project will be spent in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia with local suppliers and small businesses. 
 
“We are beyond excited Hitachi Rail chose Washington County, MD as the location of their newest advanced manufacturing operation. Securing a deal with a global company such as Hitachi Rail continues to demonstrate why Washington County is a regional leader in economic development. We look forward to 400+ new employment opportunities for Washington County citizens and are highly appreciative Hitachi Rail has recognized the strengths of our community” said Board of County Commissioners President Jeffrey A. Cline. 
 
“Bowman Development Corporation played a vital role in Hitachi Rail’s site selection process and recognizes the importance of diversifying the employment base here in Washington County, MD with these high-quality manufacturing jobs. We would be remiss not to recognize the role of the civil engineering firm of Frederick, Seibert & Associates, especially Dave Trostle, project manager, who worked closely with client and Bowman; often taking the lead coordinating with all the stakeholders.” said Don Bowman owner of the Bowman Group.   
 
The Halfway Boulevard Extension project involves the construction of a new four-lane roadway, including a large culvert, connecting existing Halfway Boulevard to MD Route 63 (Greencastle Pike), and includes a new traffic signal. The project has been identified as an economic development opportunity for the County, providing an alternate access route to MD Route 63, Interstate 70, and Interstate 81 for heavy truck traffic from the industrial park and businesses on Halfway Boulevard. With the increase of freight traffic and warehouse construction in the area, the extension of Halfway Boulevard is integral to safe and efficient travel within Washington County. Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants are being secured for this project, and developer contributions will further offset local funding. 
 
The County has partnered with several public and private entities to make this project a success. Those partnerships include Bowman Development CorporationAppalachian Regional CommissionTri-County CouncilMaryland Department of PlanningMaryland Department of CommerceMaryland Department of Transportation, and Federal Highway Administration
 
“Welcoming a project of this significance is a testament to the unmatched business climate and highly skilled and diverse workforce we have cultivated here in Washington County. We have exceptional teams across all levels of County government who have collaborated to attract new, innovative businesses like Hitachi Rail USA to our communities and bring more economic opportunity to the hardworking citizens of Washington County.” Susan Grimes, Director of Business Development. 
 
Land for the project has been acquired near the growing Hopewell Valley industrial park in Washington County, the next stage will involve preparing the land for construction. Once the process of grading the land is finished in the fall of 2022, the construction of the factory will begin in earnest, with the site scheduled to be operational in winter 2023-2024. 
 
###
 
About Hitachi Rail
Hitachi Rail is a fully integrated, global provider of rail solutions across rolling stock, signaling, service & maintenance, digital technology, and turnkey solutions. With a presence in 38 countries across six continents and over 12,000 employees, our mission is to contribute to society through the continuous development of superior rail transport solutions. We are proud of our global achievements, from our world-famous ‘bullet trains’, to our signaling solutions and turnkey projects, state-of-the-art traffic management, and digital solutions. Drawing on the wider Hitachi Group’s market-leading technology and research-and-development capabilities, we strive for industry-leading innovations and solutions that can deliver value for customers and sustainable railway systems that benefit wider society. For information about Hitachi Rail, visit www.hitachirail.com.
 
For more information, please contact:
 
Hitachi Rail
Adam Love [email protected] or +1 (412) 688-2912 / +44 7860 273 317
Merrick Laravea [email protected] +1 469-601-7262
Ed Brown [email protected] +44 7850 071287
 
Metro Media Relations
Sherri Ly [email protected] or +1 202-972-1051
Ian Jannetta [email protected] or +1 202-972-1051
 
Maryland Dept. of Commerce
Karen Glenn Hood, [email protected] or +1 (410) 767-6318 / +1 (443) 463-8129
 
Washington County
Danielle Weaver [email protected] or +1 (240)-313-2384

Other news:

Board of County Commissioners Appoint New Director of Grant Management

Board of County Commissioners Appoint New Director of Grant Management

CONTACT: Danielle Weaver, Director Phone: 240-313-2384 Email: [email protected] HAGERSTOWN, MD (September 28, 2023) – The Washington County Board of County…
State’s Attorneys Office Closing Early on Friday, 9/29/2023

State’s Attorneys Office Closing Early on Friday, 9/29/2023

The State’s Attorneys Office, located at 33 West Washington Street, Room 302, Hagerstown, MD 21740, will be closing at 3:30pm…
Hagerstown Regional Airport Emergency Disaster Drill

Hagerstown Regional Airport Emergency Disaster Drill

HAGERSTOWN, MD (September 28, 2023) – Hagerstown Regional Airport, in collaboration with Washington County Government and Washington County Office of…