The idea of expanding New York City’s subway and rail systems would sound serendipitous to most New Yorkers. As of late, it seems as though we are constantly being blighted with train delays, signal malfunctions, fare hikes and overcrowded trains. The MTA reported that over 6 million riders rode the subway for a total of 29 consecutive days last year. At a time when daily ridership is increasing, New York City needs more rail options. Here are five potential and in-process rail lines proposed by some of New York City’s community activists, regional planning organizations and commuter rail organizations.

1. The Triboro RX

1-Triboro RX - Untapped CitiesMap from Regional Plan Association

In 1996, the Regional Plan Association proposed a train line that would travel through Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx . Also referred to as the “Triboro Overground,” the Triboro RX would comprise of 22 different stations that would run mostly above ground on rail lines that are currently being used by freight trains. Stretching from Bay Ridge in Brooklyn to the Cop-Op City section of the Bronx, the subway line would provide connections to the 2, 3, 5, 6,7, A, C, D, E, F, L, M, N and Q trains.
According to Capital New York, the proposed subway line would be approximately 24 miles and would serve around 100,000 riders weekly. The Regional Plan Association contends that the Triboro RX would be a solution to address “poor connectivity within and between the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, slow bus service, excessive transferring and service reliability.”
The proposed Triboro RX Line has some pros to it. Mainly, it would be built along an existing bed of railroad tracks therefore curbing any additional expenses that would be accrued if new tracks had to be built. However, with the impending inception of the Second Avenue Subway onto the city’s geography, as well as current construction of the East Side Access Project, finding money proves to be a huge barrier towards making the project a reality. Read about what some experts think about the Triboro RX in our recap from the Next New York series from the Forum of Urban Design