MTA Plans Expansion of Open Gangway Subway Cars in New York City

New York City, NY — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is advancing plans to expand its fleet of open gangway subway cars, potentially adding them to the numbered lines. Following the securing of funding for the 2025-2029 capital plan, the MTA recently issued a request for information from companies experienced in designing these innovative transit vehicles.

The agency intends to invest $7.6 billion over the next five years to replace the aging R62 subway cars, originally introduced in the mid-1980s, that operate on the A Division, which includes several numbered lines. According to the MTA’s announcement, they plan to acquire 1,140 R262 cars, with some of those possibly being designed as open gangway units. The MTA’s request aims to gauge industry interest in this modern design.

This investment represents the MTA’s second-largest planned expenditure for system upgrades, following nearly $12 billion allocated for improvements to stations. The current R62 cars have surpassed their functional lifespan of 40 years, making the transition necessary, especially as open gangway designs, common in transit networks globally, are gaining traction in the U.S.

“Every train manufacturer worldwide knows how to build open gangway trains, yet we see limited adoption in the United States,” said Yonah Freemark, a researcher at the Urban Institute, commenting on the challenge of transitioning to this format. He noted that companies like Alstom and Kawasaki, which have historically supplied cars to the MTA, are capable of producing them.

In February 2024, the MTA became the first U.S. transit system to introduce open gangway cars into passenger service, featuring 10-car sets. By March, some cars began operation on the G line, which now includes two five-car open gangway trains. Riders have generally responded positively to this new train experience, with one commuter, Hubert Parham, appreciating the design: “It’s like an accordion. I like it a lot better.”

The current fleet includes 20 open gangway cars built on the R211 model, created by Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing Inc. In December, the MTA board approved a contract for 435 more R211 cars for the lettered lines, incorporating additional open gangway models.

MTA data indicates that R211 cars experience mechanical failures less frequently than the overall fleet. In March, the average reliability for the fleet was 126,652 miles per breakdown, compared to more than 220,000 miles for R211 cars. These modern cars are equipped with wider doors, brighter lights, and numerous surveillance cameras and are designed to integrate with the MTA’s advanced signaling system.

While riders praise the open design for its ability to move freely between cars, some users like Juan Ortiz expressed concerns about seat availability, particularly during peak hours: “When you just come off work, you want a place to sit down.” Officials have stated that the wider doors enhance capacity and speed boarding, improving operational efficiency.

To inform their potential design choices, the MTA is soliciting feedback from manufacturers regarding their previous experience, compliance with safety standards, and feasibility of integrating open gangway features into the numbered lines. Future R262 cars are projected to be 51.2 feet long, and considerations include how the design will navigate tight radius tracks and manage situations involving broken glass or customer incidents.

Freemark concluded, “Transit systems that have shifted to open gangways have committed to this model in the long term, indicating its effectiveness for modern public transport.”