NEW YORK — New York’s first batch of “open gangway” subway cars — those with accordion-style connections, rather than doors between cars, making it easy to walk from car to car — will not be able to operate on some express lines because their design creates a conflict with New York City Transit operating rules, the website Gothamist reports.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority included 20 of the open-gangway R211T cars as part of its larger order of 535 cars built by Kawasaki, and could get another 437 of the open-gangway cars as part of a subsequent 640-car order [see “MTA provides first look …,” Trains News Wire, Feb. 6, 2023]. They were originally intended to run on the A and C lines (8th Avenue express and local) between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
But an MTA memo obtained by Gothamist says the design of the new cars “makes it impossible” for operators to perform a required safety inspection following activation of the train’s emergency brakes. MTA rules require operators to inspect both sides of the track in case of an activation of the emergency brakes; if that is not possible, as is the case on some express tracks, the operator must check the tracks between each car. This is easily done on conventional cars, but not possible on the open-gangway cars. As a result, the two 10-car trainsets of the new equipment will operate on the local C line when they enter service. That should happen “in the next week or so,” New York City Transit President Richard Davey said at a press conference last week.
Davey said the MTA “made a conscious decision” to operate the trains only on the C line, Gothamist reports: “You know, for a new car class, we just thought it was more prudent to have that car stopping at stations more frequently. Our A train customers are getting a lot of R211s, so we thought we would give a little love to our C train customers as well.”
Is it just my imagination, not counting the gangway doors, and looking at the above images, are all these NYC subway cars lacking in seat capacity due to too many doors, with a high door to seat ratio. I guess standing room only for all the strap hangers solves those problems???
The operating rule will be modified. Just watch.
Another bird brained idea and scheme that the MTA came up with and one that is doomed to fail like so many other grand schemes that the MTa and New York City has come up with through the years and not to mention a waste of money. When will the “geniuses” at the MTA stop wasting money on ideas that won’t work and stick to a proven basic design subway car that is dependable and has operating flexibility and can be used on just about any part and line of the Subway system chiefly the B Divison which is the combined IND and BMT Divison routes. This fiasco is like the one made many years ago when they thought of buying subway cars that were 75 feet long thinking that a train with less cars i the consist and longer to carry more passengers would work and be efficient which turned out to be a failure in most cases. Thge R 44 and R46 cars as well as a later order of the R68 cars which had so many issues with them and could only be used on certain lines due to tight curves and little to no clearance to handle these long subway cars thus limiting operational flexibility and mobility. But the MTA never learns from past mistakes and errors and continues to promote and buy equipment that will give them only headaches and issues as well as wasting money. Oh and by the way, does anybody remember the wild idea that the MTA did when they bought some double decker buses to try out in Manhattan and that also turned out to be a disaster with tree brances being cut as well as street lights and traffic posts having to raised to accomodate these white elephants. Of course the small fleet of 8 were eventually moved to just one line the M1 after short stints on the M4 and M5 and finally retired or sold off to a tour company But this also goes to show you how the MTA loves to waste money on ideas and equipment that eventually fail just like these open gangway subway cars also are doomed to fail.
Joseph C. Markfelder
Waste money. That is what government does best.
Amazing how these issues come up AFTER the order is placed, built then delivered.