Baltimore's Metro system reached a major milestone as the first of 78 new rail cars rolled into service, marking the beginning of a comprehensive upgrade designed to improve the transit experience for thousands of daily riders.
WATCH: Baltimore Metro debuts new rail cars with major upgrades
The new trains feature significant improvements aimed at enhancing reliability, speeding up boarding processes, and creating a more comfortable ride for passengers. Key upgrades include brighter lighting, larger windows, better bike storage space, and improved digital signage systems.
"Baltimore has the most transit dependent population, many coming to jobs that cannot be performed from home or remotely. Like health care and so it's really important that they're able to not only ride but also the operators to work in a place that befits their dignity and comfort that they deserve," state delegate Stephanie Smith said.
The project required years of planning and testing, with collaboration from federal, state, and local partners. Officials emphasized that this rail car upgrade represents just the first step in a broader modernization effort for the city's transit system.
Additional improvements are already underway around State Center and Reisterstown Station. The modernization plans also include a new bus depot in northeast Baltimore, with $14 million dedicated to that project.
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