Ride the C line? Your commute just got roomier.
The MTA on Thursday debuted a new version of its modern R211 subway cars -- one that features what is known as an "open gangway," allowing passengers to move freely from one car to another.
The agency had invested $2.5 billion in new subway cars, and the ones that started to roll out Thursday account are part of that project. They debuted on the C line in Upper Manhattan, which officials say was a purposeful choice.
MTA Transit President Richard Davey previously said the agency thought it made more sense to install the cars on trains that run local, rather than express routes. If there's a mechanical defect, the entire train has to be pulled out of service; the MTA can't just repair a single car like it can with its older trains. That's the negative.
On the plus side, commuters can move easily from car to car. And there's more space. And, of course, they're new.
The cars also have wider doorways. Proponents say the cars help with overcrowding and also allow for more accessibility to riders with wheelchairs or strollers. They'll deter the dangerous trend of subway surfing, as well, because there are fewer places to climb up or down and no open space between cars.
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MTA new R211 subway cars with ‘open-gangway' design
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“Wider doors and additional accessible seating will drastically improve the experience for all riders and particularly those with disabilities,” MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo said in a statement in 2023. “Future open gangway pilot cars will also allow customers with mobility devices or strollers the ability to move through a train like never before, and I'm excited to try out these new cars."
One of the new C trains got on the rails Thursday. A second is expected to debut on the line in the coming days. Each of those trains has 10 cars, with a conductor car sandwiched in the middle.
The MTA previously said an additional 437 cars featuring the open-gangway design could be delivered in early 2025.
It's all part of an effort to phase out the R-46 train, which has yellow and orange seats in an L pattern.
The first versions of the R211 cars debuted on A line trains in early 2023. The latest version with the open gangway is similar to what passengers see on the London Tube, Paris Métro, or Boston T systems.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in the nation's capital is also exploring open-gangway cars, it announced in early 2023.
