The primary of 4 state-of-the-art subway trains went into service on the G practice Tuesday, a considerable improve for the cross-borough line connecting Brooklyn and Queens.
The practice — which was taken out of service on the C line to be able to be deployed on the G line — is without doubt one of the few within the system to have a so-called “open gangway” design, during which all 5 vehicles are linked by way of an articulated part and passengers can transfer freely between them.
The design, identified internally because the “R211T,” was first examined on the C line final 12 months.
NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow mentioned Tuesday that the design was notably suited to the G practice, the place shorter trains cease in the midst of lengthy platforms.
The MTA started operating “open gangway” subway vehicles on the G line on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, bringing state-of-the-art rolling inventory to the interborough line. (Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Every day Information)
“Everyone that’s taken the G train knows the experience of hustling down the platform to make that train,” Crichlow mentioned. “You get to the last car of the train, and then the train is just a little bit crowded in that one last car.
“No more,” he mentioned. “Open gangways are open from end to end.”
Tuesday additionally marks the primary time that an open gangway automobile was put into passenger service alongside a line with a big elevated portion. Proponents of the design say open gangway vehicles might scale back incidents of subway browsing by eliminating easy accessibility to the practice’s exterior.
A second five-car R211T practice is scheduled to start operating on the G line on Wednesday, and one other two are due in service by June — all taken from the 2 10-car trains which have up till now been operating on the C line.
The MTA started operating “open gangway” subway vehicles on the G practice Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Every day Information)
Collectively, the 4 five-car trains will account for practically a 3rd of the 13 trains that sometimes put on the inexperienced “G” bullet.
However whereas a 3rd of the G practice fleet is ready to quickly be modernized, the remaining 9 will proceed to be a number of the oldest in operation.
Crichlow mentioned Tuesday that the MTA remains to be making an attempt to find a mysterious observe defect that’s been carrying out the wheels on R160 practice vehicles operating on the E, F and R traces.
For the reason that G line is anticipated to proceed utilizing its older signaling system for at the least one other two years, the MTA has been operating older R46 and R68 practice units to unlock R160s for the E, F and R traces.
The brand new “open gangway” subway vehicles on the G practice will assist even out passenger crowding within the vehicles, in line with the MTA. (Evan Simko-Bednarski / New York Every day Information)
In January, transit officers mentioned the measure was non permanent, and that the R160 vehicles could be again on the G by the top of March. Crichlow mentioned Tuesday that that was unlikely.
“The plan at this point is just to introduce the two R211 open gangway [trains] and then within the next two months you’ll have an additional two trains,” he mentioned. “Then the goal is, over the next capital program, the [new] R211s that we will be getting, a portion of them will come to the G line.”
The choice to ship all 20 of the MTA’s open gangway vehicles to the G practice means they’ll now not be working on the C line, at the least till extra arrive. The transit company introduced final 12 months that it had ordered 80 extra R211Ts as a part of a 435-car buy choice from train-builder Kawasaki.
Conventional “closed gangway” R211A vehicles at the moment make up the majority of service on the A and C traces.
Initially Revealed: March 4, 2025 at 4:03 PM EST
