The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s New York City Transit Committee approved the purchase of another 435 R211 subway cars Monday, leading the way for the full MTA board to consider the option this week.
The order for additional cars includes 355 closed-end cars and 80 open-gangway cars, and would bring to 1,710 the number of R211 cars ordered by the system. There are currently 345 R211 cars in service throughout the New York City Transit system, the agency said. The order is a continuation of the MTA’s efforts to modernize the entire fleet of rolling stock. The R211 features security cameras in every car, more accessible seating, brighter lights, clearer signage and 58-inch wide door openings.
“These new train cars make the world of difference for transit riders, in both reliability and the customer experience with better amenities for passengers,” NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said. “These cars come CBTC equipped to provide faster, more frequent and reliable service, and strengthens security with subway car cameras.”
Officials said the R211 cars will eventually replace the R44 and R46 subway cars that have been in service for the MTA for decades. The new option will allow NYC Transit to begin replacing R68s, which entered service in the mid-1980s. The new cars have a mean distance between failure rate of approximately 220,000 miles, compared to the 46,000 miles of the R46 cars.
“Old train cars break down six times as frequently as new cars, so replacing them is more than just a matter of aesthetics,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “This latest purchase will help us get the next generation of rolling stock on the rails sooner so we can keep making the system more reliable and dramatically upgrade the passenger experience.”
Delivery of the cars is expected to begin in 2027.