The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced it has rolled out five of the standard R211 subway cars that are the first step in phasing these cars into service on the Staten Island Railway in early 2024.

The cars are part of a 535-car order which includes 440 R211A standard cars with amenities, 75 Staten Island Railway cars, and 20 cars with the open gangway feature. 

The cars were moved on flat-bed trucks across the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge overnight from Brooklyn to their current location at Clifton Maintenance Shop on Staten Island.

These R211 cars are a 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.

“For the first time in 50 years, brand new, faster, cleaner, and safer trains are coming to Staten Island,” said New York City Transit President Richard Davey. “These new, top-of-the-line R211 cars feature security cameras and digital displays, along with wider doorways that will help speed up boarding times and run more reliable service. I look forward to delivering Staten Island Railway customers a totally modernized fleet as we introduce more new cars in the future.” 

Details of the R211 Subway Cars

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.

The current class of cars on the Staten Island Railway are R44s, which joined the Staten Island Railway in 1973 after debuting on the subway the previous year.

In October 2022, the MTA announced the MTA Board had approved to order an additional 640 standard R211 subway cars, bringing the total number of new subway cars to 1,080 within the next two years.

This second set of new subway cars is expected to be delivered in early 2025 and all Staten Island Railway cars are expected to arrive by the end of 2024.