We’ve all heard about the MTA’s various plans to alleviate congestion by making quick changes. You may have seen some of the new cars on the E and L lines, and at Hudson Yards, the agency recently provided a preview of its new (and highly contested) open gangway cars. Have you seen the train car on the Shuttle from Times Square to Grand Central with no seats? Take a look at the car in this video uploaded by Lynn Lieberman to Facebook.
Whether or not they provide any extra room is something we’ll have to wait and hear about, but like the caption to this video suggests — “Hmmmm a train with no seats! It’s been a really long day. I could have used a seat…..” — it would be hard to imagine this kind of seating arrangement (or lack thereof) on lines that run through multiple boroughs. The Shuttle only runs between two stops making this an easy ride without seats, though the true test would be to see if replacing one or two cars on more crowded lines with this will do much at all.
Next, check Inside MTA’s New Open Gangway Subway Cars, Now on View in NYC’s Hudson Yards.