Line Becomes Fourth Subway Line to Get Fleet’s Newest Cars
Features Security Cameras in Every Car, Additional Accessible Seating, Brighter Lights, Better Signage and Wider Doors
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit today debuted a standard R211 train on the line, marking the first time the trains have run in the Bronx. The fleet’s most modernized train cars are now operating in all five boroughs.
“I’m thrilled that train riders from the Bronx to Brooklyn will experience safer and more reliable service with this addition,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “The R211s are state of the art and feature security cameras and digital displays along with wider doorways that will help speed up boarding times and improve accessibility.”
“These modernized train cars are a major investment for our riders, who will now have the chance to catch an R211 in all five boroughs," said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “New train cars are a major component of our Capital Plan that will allow us to run more frequent service for years to come."
R211 cars are a critical part of the MTA's ongoing modernization efforts and feature 58-inch-wide door openings that are eight inches wider than standard door openings on existing cars — designed to speed up boarding and reduce the amount of time trains sit in stations. These models include security cameras, additional accessible seating, digital displays that will provide more detailed station-specific information, and brighter lighting and signage, among other features that improve the customer experience.
The R211s will eventually replace all R44s on the Staten Island Railway and the current fleet of R46 subway cars, which have been in service on the and lines as well as the lines for decades. This new option will also allow NYC Transit to begin replacement of the R68s, which entered service in the mid-1980s and primarily operate on the and . Open-gangway cars began operating on the line earlier this year. The new railcar has an average mean distance between failure (MDBF) rate of approximately 220,000 miles, compared to the R46’s 46,000 miles. The MDBF is a measure of how far the railcar travels before a mechanical issue occurs that requires maintenance.
In October 2022, the MTA announced Board approval to order an additional 640 R211 subway cars. If testing is successful, there is a second option for an additional 437 cars, including some with open gangways.