Photography
Metro’s “fleet of the future” is here. The new 8000-series rail cars aren’t scheduled to hit the tracks en masse until 2026, but life-size mock-ups are on display on the National Mall from Wednesday to April 3 so the public can experience them years before riding the real thing. Here’s a peek at what the new cars will look like.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
The 82-foot long and 10-foot wide display version isn't a full-size replica but a chimera of various parts to give riders a sense of what the new cars might feel like.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Display screens on the new cars will be larger and more numerous than in current models.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
The trains will offer more space to stand and sit.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
The 8000-series cars will replace the oldest cars in the fleet, the 2000- and 3000-series cars, which date back to the 1980s.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
There will be dedicated spaces for bicycles, strollers and luggage.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
More of the seating will be along the walls, allowing for more standing room.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Display screens will be larger and show system maps, lists of upcoming stations, real-time service information and ads.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
An 8000-series married-pair train, or a set of two rail cars, can hold up to 322 people, with 110 seats and room for up to 212 people to stand.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Gone are the Potomac blue, colonial burgundy and Chesapeake sand seat covers found on the older cars, which will be replaced with fabric seating that hasn't yet been installed in the mock-ups.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
The floors will be the primary source of heat in the chilly months.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
The new cars will feature heated floors.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
There will be dedicated spaces for wheelchairs.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
The heated floors should be more energy-efficient compared to the old heating system, which let out a lot of heat when the doors opened.
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
Matt McClain/The Washington Post
More from the Post
In photos: Washington cherry blossoms reach peak bloom
The latest from The Washington Post
Credits
Photo editing and production by Stephen Cook, Text by Aaron Wiener