NEW YORK — A committee of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board has approved an order of 640 new subway cars, a prelude to consideration of the order by the full MTA board on Wednesday, Oct. 26.
The New York City Transit Committee approved the order of the R211 subway cars, an addition to an initial order of 535 cars with Kawasaki Rail Car in 2018. Those cars are being built in Lincoln, Neb., and Yonkers, N.Y.; the first of the cars have already been delivered and are undergoing qualification testing, with the beginning of revenue service expected this spring. They are initially planned for use on the A and C lines and the Staten Island Railway.
“These modern trains feature wider doorways that will help speed up boarding time, run more reliably and give our riders a more modern passenger experience,” New York City Transit President Richard Davey said in a press release.
Along with the 58-inch-wide doors — 8 inches wider than standard openings — the cars feature digital signage to provide information on service and stations, and brighter lighting and signage.
Delivery of the new cars would begin in 2025.
While what you say about meeting FRA rules is correct, there no longer is any freight on the line. There is freight on the North Shore, but that’s a different line in Staten Island.
The R-211 subway cars that are coming to the Staten Island Railway will have to undergo further modifications to meet the standards of Federal Railroad Administration. Like the R-44 cars that are operating on the SIR, they were modified to run on the line. Even though the SIR operates under the banner of the MTA, it is considered a freight line since some freight still travels down the tracks and operating practices are more in line with a commuter or passenger railroad hence the Staten Island Railway is subject to the FRA including the equipment used .Also the SIR was or is still undergoing modernization and upgrades to accomodate the R-211s including the repair and service shops
Joseph C. Markfelder