New Staten Island Railway Cars Arrive for the First Time in 50 Years

The Staten Island Railway’s cars are long overdue for an upgrade. Cars currently running on the system were introduced over 50 years ago, but they are soon going to be replaced. This week, five brand new R211 subway cars were delivered to the Staten Island Railway Clifton Maintenance Shop. Getting the cars to Staten Island is the first step towards getting them on the tracks, which is expected to happen in early 2024.

These first five cars were transferred from the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal to Staten Island overnight via flatbed truck. Once secured to the truck beds, they traveled over the Verrezzano Bridge to their destination where they’ll undergo final preparations before being put into service.

On the Staten Island Railway, the new R211 subway cars will replace older R44s. Those cars debuted in 1972 and went into service on the Staten Island Railway the next year. A total of 75 new Staten Island Railway cars are on the way.

R211 subway cars were unveiled for the very first time back in 2017. Earlier this year we got a closer look when they went out for a test ride, and the cars were finally put into service on the A train in March 2023. The updated cars feature wider door openings, digital signage, additional accessible seating, enhanced security cameras, and brighter lighting among other new amenities. See more photos of the journey from Brooklyn to Staten Island and the interior features of the cars in the gallery below!

Across the five boroughs, the MTA has ordered a total of 1,080 new subway cars to be delivered within the next two years. More are expected to be delivered in early 2025 and all Staten Island Railway cars are expected to arrive by the end of 2024.

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