Late last week, the public could ride the R211 subway trains on the A line. They’re a part of the MTA’s order for 640 more new cars that was approved this past October. The “Fast Forward” plans announced in early 2018 will allow 50 years’ worth of subway updates to take place in a fifth of that time, with almost 5,000 new cars on the way.
R211’s feature door openings that are 58 inches wide, a boost by 8 inches. They’re designed to increase boarding speed and reduce the time trains spend at stations. They’re also equipped with security cameras, digital information displays, brighter lighting and signage and other features.
An even more advanced R211 car coming in the fourth quart of this year will come with “open gangways.” These will come with the “soft, accordion-like walls that connect subway cars and allow riders to move freely between them,” according to the MTA.
“The new cars are going to give our riders a more modern passenger experience, so riding the subway no longer feels like a step into the past,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “We’re investing over $6 billion in new train cars as part of the historic $55 billion MTA Capital Program and it’s not just for aesthetics, because these new train cars enable us to run more frequent service.”
