Staff Report
The 1 train will be getting an upgrade as part of a massive subway car replacement initiative by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Hochul announced March 19 the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is seeking proposals from rail car manufacturers for a contract to replace cars operating on the 1, 3 and 6 lines. The base order covers 1,140 subway cars to replace two models — the R62A, which services the 1 and 6, and the R62, which services the 3.
It is the largest subway car contract in history, according to Hochul’s office. Upgrades are part of the MTA’s $68.4 billion 2025-2029 Capital Plan, which looks to rebuild, improve and expand the MTA system.
“Thousands of new subway cars running better service and a more reliable ride for millions every day — that’s what we can achieve when we fully invest in transit,” Hochul said in a statement. “We are in the midst of a public transit renaissance in New York, with growing ridership, the best service in a generation and historic investments to modernize the lifeblood of our city.”
If the MTA chooses, it can purchase an additional 1,250 cars to replace models on the 2,4 and 5 lines — potentially upgrading 36.4 percent of the subway’s entire 6,574 car fleet. The base order of 1,140 cars would revamp 17.3 percent of the fleet.
The new subway cars will improve reliability, Hochul’s office said, by offering a higher distance of how long a car can operate without issues or maintenance. The new model, called R262, can last an average of 200,000 miles without the need for repairs. The current models have an average of 89,000 miles.
Proposals from rail car manufacturers are due by Sep. 8, and a contract will be awarded by early 2028.
The request for proposals outlines technical upgrades such as higher quality announcement systems and assistive listening devices that allow hearing-impaired passengers to connect their hearing aids. It also aims to improve efficiency by installing an automatic passenger counting system to record the number of train riders, as well as electric braking control. Safety is also a priority, as the request includes cameras onboard the train, which the fleet currently has, and cameras on the platform edge.
New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow stated the upgrades are long overdue.
“We’re talking about replacing cars that have been around since the 1980s — is anyone else driving 40-year-old cars?” Crichlow said. “Even though we’ve managed to achieve historic on-time performance while adding service with this fleet, it’s time to enter the modern era.”
Keywords
NYC subway upgrade,
MTA capital plan,
1 train NYC,
R262 subway cars,
Hochul subway plan,
New York transit modernization,
subway car replacement