Miami-Dade County Commissioners today approved a resolution authorizing Miami-Dade Transit to contract heavy rail-car manufacturer AnsaldoBreda to replace Metrorail’s aging fleet. The fleet of 136 new rail cars, which will have an elegant exterior and interior design, will significantly improve Metrorail’s overall service performance and will enhance riders’ comfort with a number of amenities that include:

  interior bicycle racks
  Wi-Fi connectivity
  digital signs that display the name of the next station
  digital displays with extensive media content (for advertisement, time and news display)
  high-quality audio announcements
  and high-efficiency air conditioning units that will provide higher cooling capacity.

“A state-of-the-art transportation system is critical if we are to continue positioning Miami-Dade County as a leading global community,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “The County will now be able to purchase modern rail cars that will complement our new, world-class Miami International Airport Metrorail station,” he added.

This authorization is a result of a competitive bid process that was nearly $5 million less than its nearest competitor. Delivery of the first six cars is expected in 2015, with the last six cars delivered two years later. The total funding for the contract is approximately $313.8 million, which is being funded through issuance of Transit System Sales Surtax Revenue Bonds.

“We are delighted the Board has taken this action towards replacing our aging train fleet. We want to provide the most reliable and comfortable ride for our Metrorail users, and this will go a long way towards improving our service,” said MDT Director Ysela Llort.

Per the awarded contract, the rail cars will be designed and built to provide 30 years of useful life. The contract also includes spare parts, training of staff, vehicle testing and testing equipment, a training simulator, and other things such as systems integration and technical support.