The MTA has launched two open gangway cars on the G-line which serves Brooklyn and Queens from Court Square to Church Avenue.
This change went into effect on March 4 after the first open gangway train debuted on the C-line in 2024.
Now, G train passengers “have a 15% chance of riding an open-gangway car every time they ride,” according to the MTA.
The new R211T model trains feature security cameras, 58-inch-wide door openings and brighter lighting and signage.
The modernization of this subway car model is intended to improve the overall commuting experience.
Customer experience is also enhanced by digital displays that provide detailed descriptions of the train stops and transfers.
New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow has announced that the R211s are also less prone to breakdowns, thus limiting train delays.
The G train line is notorious for its shorter trains which are five cars long instead of the typical eight to 10 cars.
According to the Gothamist, passengers are often forced to walk to the middle of the platform to board the train.
Within the next two months, two more R211 trains will be added to the G-line, Crichlow told Pix 11 News.
This is a part of the MTA’s $68 billion capital plan to modernize NYC’s transit system for 2025-2029.
While this proposal still needs full state approval, on top of the open gangway cars, the MTA plans to approve 355 traditional train cars and 80 open-gangway cars by 2027.
Up until now, the new train design has been met with mostly excitement and praise for its reliability and accessibility.
People have shared that they enjoy wider doors as it makes for faster boarding.
Commuter David Chung commented that the new trains will likely prevent the increased issues with subway surfing that NYC has been facing in recent years.
Despite the overall positive responses, when the open gangway design was introduced on the C-line, many commuters shared that they felt more vulnerable.
According to the New York Post, half of the riders on the new trains said that “the metal doors were like a barrier that kept the homeless and mentally ill from the car in which they rode.”
This critique, while not shared by all, calls into question the safety of the R211T model trains despite the additional security cameras.
In a Feb. 2024 news briefing, Gov. Kathy Hochul said that rid-ers are not trapped in open gang-way trains and can wander freely.
Other riders, while not critiquing the new train models, have shared their nostalgia for the older trains.
Edwin Montez told the Gothamist that “he will miss the older models’ yellow and orange ‘conversational’ seats.”
Nostalgia and criticism in response to the train upgrades are expected, as they bring notable changes for G train riders.
