For NYCT’s R211T, Local Service Only (Updated)

R211T. Marc A. Hermann/MTA

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had been phasing in its first two open-gangway R211T trainsets from Kawasaki Rail Car along New York City Transit’s (NYCT) B Division (lettered lines) express A and local C lines, but there’s a problem: The R211T cannot operate in express service because its design conflicts with certain NYCT operating rules. Local service on the C line began operations Feb. 1 (video below).

According to two MTA internal memos obtained by the Gothamist website, operators cannot perform a required safety inspection following an emergency brake activation on an R211T trainset. NYCT operating rules require a walking inspection of both sides of the train, and if that cannot be done safely, as occurs on some express tracks, the operator must inspect the tracks between cars. This involves climbing down in between them. Conventional railcars are no problem, as they have doors and open platforms on each end. Not so with the open-gangway R211T.

During a Jan. 25 news conference, NYCT President Richard Davey discounted the internal memos, saying the MTA “made a conscious decision” to restrict the R211T’s operation to the local C Line. “You know, for a new car class, we just thought it was more prudent to have [those trainsets] stopping at stations more frequently,” he said. “Our A Train customers are getting a lot of R211s, so we thought we would give a little love to our C Train customers as well.”

The R211T is part of a $1.44 billion 2018 initial order with Kawasaki for 535 R211s, which included 440 R211A standard closed-end cars, 20 open-gangway cars (two 10-car R211T trainsets), and 75 R211S cars for MTA Staten Island Railway (15 five-car trainsets). There are two options for additional cars: Option 1, for 640 R211A cars, and Option 2, for 437 R211As or R211Ts. Option 2 is designed to accommodate either standard cars or open-gangway cars, depending on the test results from the 20 R211Ts in the base order. If all options are exercised, the order would total 1,612 cars. Additional cars that do not replace existing rolling stock will be used to expand the NYCT fleet.

The R211T’s C train revenue service debut “marks the first time an open-gangway train has operated in the modern history of subways in the United States,” the MTA noted. “The Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT), one of three operating authorities that were precursors to the amalgamated New York City Transit, ran three-car open gangway segments from 1925 to 1965.” These were the BMT D-Type Triplexes, built by Pressed Steel Car Company. One Triplex trainset survives; the New York Transit Museum operates it on special occasions.