G line gets open-gangway cars
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Two new cars were added to the G line, marking the second subway line to use open-gangway trains. Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA
By Noah Powelson
The G train is getting some new life as two new open-gangway train cars were deployed on the city’s only Queens-Brooklyn connector on Tuesday.
MTA leaders and city elected officials held a press conference at the Church Ave station in Brooklyn to debut the two new updated cars, designated as R211 cars, that are now operating on the G line. The new cars tout a number of new features and updated design, including the open-gangway. The G line is now the second subway line to use open-gangways to connect train cars.
“The innovations we’re bringing to the G – New York’s only crosstown subway line – are key to improving service long term for thousands of daily riders in Brooklyn and Queens,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement. “That’s why new train cars and modern signals are such huge components of the next MTA Capital Plan – and why Albany needs to fully fund it so we can keep making progress.”
R211 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. They also include more space, accessible seating, digital displays and brighter lighting.
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, bringing the total number of R211 cars to 1,610.
NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said that two additional trains will be deployed on the G line in the coming months as well.
“Between improved reliability, safety enhancements and amenities, R211 train cars will make a world of difference for G train riders,” Crichlow said. “The R211s are state of the art and less prone to breakdowns, which means smoother trips and more reliable service for decades to come.”
While the new design might be novel right now, the MTA says they plan on R211s becoming the new standard for many lines. R211s will eventually replace all R44s on the Staten Island Railway and the current fleet of R46 subway cars, which are used on the A and C lines as well as the N, Q, R and W lines. Officials said these cars will also be used to replace R68s, which are used on the B, D, N and W lines.
