The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) launched new R211S subway cars into service on the Staten Island Railway on October 9, 2024. The cars are part of a 535-car order which includes 440 R211A standard cars with state-of-the-art amenities, 75 Staten Island Railway cars and 20 cars with the open gangway feature. Following the announcement, attendees rode the first train in service on its inaugural ride from St. George Terminal.

These R211S cars are a critical part of the MTA’s ongoing modernization efforts and feature 58-inch-wide door openings that are eight inches wider than standard door openings on existing cars – designed to speed up boarding and reduce the amount of time trains sit in stations. The new cars are also six times more reliable than cars in the current fleet – able to travel an average of 240,000 miles between replacements and major repairs.

These models include security cameras, additional accessible seating, digital route displays that will provide more detailed station-specific information, and brighter lighting and signage, among other features that improve the customer experience.

The current class of cars on the Staten Island Railway are R44s, which joined the Staten Island Railway in 1973 after debuting on the subway the previous year.

In October 2022, the MTA announced the MTA Board had approved to order an additional 640 standard R211 subway cars, bringing the total number of new subway cars to 1,080 within the next two years.

Inaugural run of the Staten Island Railway R211S train on Tuesday, Oct 8, 2024 from St. George Terminal.
(Marc A. Hermann / MTA)                                                                                           -via Press Release