NYC’s age-old subway cars are finally getting an upgrade!
The MTA has been touting new subway cars for quite some time, and after pandemic-related and other delays, the brand new R211 trains have finally landed in NYC.
Still, we won’t get to ride them for at least another year or two. Currently, five cars are on location and the organization will begin “qualification testing” within the next few weeks. Passengers will actually get a chance to ride the cars starting next summer, and the full fleet (535 cars) is expected to be rolled out between September 2022 and 2024.
As a major part of the MTA’s “modernization” efforts, these cars will be replacing others that are more than 40 years old. Special new features include:
- 58-inch door spans that are eight inches wider than standard doors on existing cars (designed to reduce delays and speed up train movement by speeding boarding and reducing the amount of time trains sit in stations)
- Digital displays that will provide real-time information about service and stations
- Brighter lighting and signage
- Slicker bonnet design
The R211 trains are part of the MTA’s $6.1 billion investment in rolling stock (cars/trains/buses) in their current capital plan.
If you’re wondering about those cars with the “open gangways” — that would also people to move freely between train cars since they will be open with soft accordion-like walls: 20 of those will arrive “eventually” as part of the pilot program. Read more details about them here.
featured image source: Marc A. Hermann / MTA