Subway rides are about to get a bit more futuristic. At the Coney Island Yard in Brooklyn this morning, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) unveiled one of two new R211 model subway trains and took it out for a test ride. The trains are still being tested and standard R211s are expected to roll out onto the tracks this spring.
We first got a glimpse of new open gangway subway car designs in 2017. The streamlined cars feature a variety of upgrades designed to create more efficient, comfortable, and safer rides. One new feature is wider door openings. At 58-inches, R211 doors provide more room for commuters to get on and off the car. There are no interior doors separating each car, so passengers can walk freely through the open gangway which will be surrounded by soft accordion walls.
Security cameras that can be easily monitored by conductors are dispersed throughout the train. Inside the cars, there is more space and additional accessible seating areas. Even the route displays will get an upgrade. Signage on the train on digital displays will provide more detailed station-specific information, and brighter lighting. Updated signage will show which car of the train you’re in, the current and next stop, and which connections you can catch there.
The first new cars will debut on the A and C lines, replacing R46s trains that went into service in the 1970s. The cars previewed are part of a 535-car order of the R211 model cars which includes 20 cars with the open gangway feature unveiled today, an additional 515 cars with standard futuristic amenities, and 15 Staten Island Railway five-car trains. With the approval of an order for an additional 640 R211 subway cars in October 2022, a total of 1,175 new cars are expected to be released within the next two years, with the potential of adding another 437 open gangway cars. The second set of new subway cars is expected to be delivered in early 2025.
“Putting these cars into service will be a huge milestone in the MTA’s efforts to modernize our fleet,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “These modern subway cars will of course upgrade the passenger experience, but they will also complement our signal improvement efforts and allow us to run more trains and provide more frequent subway service.” Check out more photos of the new R211 subway cars below:
Next, check out 20 Secrets of the NYC Subway
