Upgrades are coming to nearly a third of the MTA’s subway cars and it could mean big changes to some familiar aesthetics New Yorkers have grown accustomed to while riding the rails.
The agency says they are looking to replace more than 1,200 train cars on the 1, 3, and 6 lines. The new cars, called R262s, will replace the old ones on those lines that have been around for decades featuring the retro (and in some ways iconic) orange seats.
The MTA is putting big money behind the order — upwards of $11 billion — to replace some of the oldest cars still in the system. The purchase would also include some new cars for the suburban railroads.
“Today we are talking about replacing cars that have been around since the 1980s,” said MTA NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow, confirming that the nation’s largest mass transit system is set to make its largest train car purchase ever.
The transit agency may not be done there, either: There’s a chance they will order more than 1,000 more.
“Just think about it: In one procurement, we are going to replace roughly a third of the entire MTA subway fleet,” said MTA Chairman Janno Lieber.
Many of the new subway cars will be “open gangway,” with no doors at the end of the cars.
It comes as brand new R211 subway cars are set to start rolling on the B line between Brooklyn and the Bronx in the coming weeks.
There is pressure from commuters who just went through a fare hike. The MTA said they are looking forward to more high-tech cars with LED lighting — rather than subway cars built nearly 50 years ago.
“Every time I board one of them, I expect to run into Cyndi Lauper or Run DMC on my way to the Mets ticker tape parade. And if you understand that reference you know it’s time to invest in better more reliable subways,” said Jesse Lazarus, the MTA Chief of the Rolling Stock Program.
But change certainly won’t come immediately. The brand-new subway cars will take a while to be built and arrive: They can be expected to roll out in the early 2030s.