The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) New York City Transit (NYC Transit) debuted two open-gangway cars on the G​ line, making it the second subway line to have open-gangway trains.

G train passengers now have a 15% chance of riding an open-gangway car every time they ride. Open-gangway trains first operated on the C line in 2024.

MTA’s R211 Subway Cars Critical

R211 subway cars are a critical part of the MTA's ongoing modernization efforts systemwide. 

The cars include pre-installed security cameras in each car and feature 58-inch-wide door openings that are eight inches wider than standard door openings on the existing car fleet, which are designed to speed up boarding and reduce the amount of time trains sit in stations. 

In addition to wider doors, these cars provide 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.

“Between improved reliability, safety enhancements and amenities, R211 train cars will make a world of difference for G​ train riders,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. “The R211s are state of the art and less prone to breakdowns, which means smoother trips and more reliable service for decades to come.”

Growing the R211 Fleet

Last year, the New York City Transit Committee approved an order for 435 additional R211 subway cars. This order includes 355 closed-end cars and 80 open-gangway cars. The option would bring the total number of R211 cars ordered to 1,610.

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 A​ and C​ lines as well as the N, Q, R, and W​​​​ lines for decades. 

The 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 D, D, N, ​​​and W​. 

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 can travel before a mechanical issue occurs and requires maintenance.