It took almost thirty years of planning, before constructions started on the new underground railway system that is now the famous New York City Subway.   It was the year 1904, when the first NYC subway system commuter train opened to the general public, at 5 cents per ride, according to The Museum of the City of New York (MCNY).  The subway is the city's primary mode of transportation, with over 5.5 million riders on a given weekday, and is operated by a subsidiary of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Today, residents of the Big Apple are eagerly awaiting commuter train updates and the modernization of the The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) system with new high-tech subway cars.  The hope is to roll out at least some of the new train cars in Midtown and Manhattan by the end of year 2023.

This program is the first rollout of new trains since 2017 when the city ordered 318 of the then new R179 trains which ran on the A, C, J and Z lines. Continue reading to discover more about the new subway cars, why it's happening, and how much it will cost the city.

"The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is North America's largest transportation network, serving a population of 15.3 million people across a 5,000-square-mile travel area surrounding New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut."

Challenges to NYC's aging transit infrastructure

Like any other urban metropolis, New York City is facing many challenges to its aging utility and public service infrastructure. This includes many of its bridges, tunnels, and other transportation facilities that were built over 50 years ago. City government and private industry leaders are not ignorant of this fact. Some public-private partnerships are being developed to address a comprehensive infrastructure renewal plan, which would prioritize repairs and upgrades to critical transportation, water, and energy systems in and around New York City.

Not only will the city seek to replace aging commuter trains, the MTA has also announced plans to complete 34 station renovations across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens. The deep cleaning and appearance upgrades will also include repairs such as concrete repairs, tile replacement, water mitigation enhancements, grouting, and repainting.

The goal is to improve all New Yorker's quality of life and the commute experience for all subway customers. The new commuter cars will also take advantage of upgrades to the MTA's signaling system, which is 100% computerized. The previous signaling system, which is decades-old, was prone to malfunctions that will no longer exist with this new stop-light system that has a price tag in the billions of dollars.

Which subway lines are the first to see new rail cars?

The new state-of-the-art MTA commuter trains will first appear on the blue-line, or the A train.  This rapid transit line operates both day and night, rolling through much of Manhattan and Queens. The A-line was actually one of the first commuter services offered by MTA, with extensions adding more mileage throughout the years.  During the inaugural opening to showcase the new trains, the first fleet of new transit cars took off from the 207 Street A-line station in Inwood to Far Rockaway in Queens.

Passengers were excited about the sleek new look of the modern 10-car commuter trains that are set to first replace the 1970s-era R46s. The plans are to install 120 new trains consisting of this next generation subway fleet, known as the R211. After the A line opening, plans move forward to rolling out the new subway cars on the C line.

The C train runs between 168th Street in Washington Heights,  through Manhattan to Euclid Avenue Station (IND Fulton Street Line) and on into East New York, Brooklyn with stops along the entire route. Also, look for the new subway cars to be installed on the Staten Island Railway line

New subway car features

The plan is to phase in 535 new commuter cars on the A line, with 440 of the cars to have state-of-the-art amenities. Here are some of the new features NYC subway riders enjoyed on the two trains installed as part of a pilot program:

• Car length 60.21 feet, Car width 10 feet

• Brighter interiors and electronic signage

• Wider door openings of 58-inches wide door openings

• More accessible seating for handicapped and the elderly

• Stainless steel car body construction with fiberglass ends

• Station-specific digital displays in each car

• Advanced, real-time surveillance cameras

• Open gangway pilot cars for customers with mobility devices 

These features are in addition to a modernist look, which will go a long way to having passengers not feel as if they're stepping into the past when they enter some of the older model commuter trains.

The biggest feature is one that riders will never see, but will be responsible for a commuter train ride that is less problematic. The MTA's Computer Based Train Control (CBTC) is the latest in train signaling technology.  With improved communications the transit service will be more reliable - and on time.

The CBTC is a complex train control system that include multiple components, and checks-and-balances, to keep trains moving - and moving safely.  The main duty is to relay instructions to all trains on how fast they can travel, where they can and cannot safely move, and keeps track of the status of all the track switches being used to route trains.

The goal of this automated train control system is to maintain safe distances between trains and to prevent any movement in that would put the train operators, passengers, or the public in danger.  

For trains that are not on the new, computerized system, the legacy signal system remains in place as an auxilliary signalling system. The legacy system is actually integrated with the CBTC system so that the movement of non-CBTC trains ares also monitored.

How much will it cost the city?

During a press conference, MTA chairman Janno Lieber helped cut the ribbons to the new R211 commuter car at the Inwood A-train subway station.  According to the New York Post, "the agency has put in orders for nearly 1,200 of the new cars, enough for roughly 120 new trains, worth an estimated $3.2 billion."

The MTA is also looking to expand this order for brand-new R211 subway cars by $1.78 billion, contingent on a board of director's vote.  An option in the original contract provides for this additional purchase if all goes well after in-service testing for good performance and after public opinion is taken into consideration. .

There exists even more options for purchasing more R211s, possibly over 1,600 new commuter cars in total.  The contract is financed by the federal government, and could ultimately be worth about $4 billion. The new carriages are expected to be delivered to New York City between February 2025 and December 2026, to replace the 1970s-era R46 cars on the A and C lines.

The R211 commuter train cars are made by by Japanese multinational Kawasaki. Due to the worldwide pandemic which caused factory shutdowns, labor shortages, and supply chain issues, the deliver of the pilot commuter cars had been delayed by over a year.

Commuters comment on new R211 transit cars

The new R211 commuter cars got mixed reactions from Manhattan to Midtown. Some riders felt as if this subway of the future is an upgrade that's "too little, too late."  Most felt that the new cars with wider door openings and an "open gangway" design made it easier to enter and exit cars, while also making it easier to find a seat with the open gangway that makes passing between trains much easier.

Another benefit of the open gangway design is that it eliminates much of the risk taking that some passengers will attempt, and that is moving between cars. On the older style cars, the gangway between cars is not made for passing through while the cars are moving.  The open gangway eliminates metal bridge between cars and replaces it with an accordion-like passageway and a place where riders can also stand safely.

Getting caught in closing train doors will be a thing of the past. When the doors are open for passage, a very visible green light blinks. And, when they are ready to close, that light turns red, eliminating any guesswork on whether a person has time to board.

Riders also liked the lights along the sides of the doors that turn green when the doors open and blink red when they're about to close. The red light will also be accompanied by a voice announcement to stand clear of closing doors, with the hopes of stopping some commuters from delaying trains by holding the doors open for later arrivals.

All in all, public comment was positive for the sleek and modern look of the new commuter train cars that will bring the New York City subway into the 21st century.  New York has always been a leader in new city infrastructure design, from towering skyscrapers to the city's dependence on the Yellow Cab for transportation. And now, the city will be a leader in new rail car technology and computerized train control.

As shared workspace providers in New York City, a modern, well managed public transportation system is vital to the livelihood and well-being of our lessees. Updates to our city’s subway system are welcome, and make working at our Midtown Manhattan locations that much more valuable.

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