MTA Announces Rollout of First R211 Train Cars on D Line

Becomes Sixth Subway Line to Get the Fleet's Newest Cars, Replacing R68s

Features Security Cameras in Every Car, Additional Accessible Seating, Brighter Lights, Better Signage and Wider Doors

See Photos and Video of R211 Debut Event at Coney Island

See B-Roll Video of R211s on the Line

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Transit is announcing the debut of standard R211A trains on the line, marking the sixth subway line to be served by the new train cars. The new train cars will eventually replace the R68s, which have been in the system along the line since the 1980s, and come just in time for summer trips to the beach at Coney Island.

R211 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. These models include security cameras, additional accessible seating, digital displays that will provide more detailed station-specific information, and brighter lighting and signage, among other features that improve the customer experience. 

"Today we celebrate the debut of the new R211s on the line," said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. "These new trains will take customers where they want to go faster and more reliably. Riders have told us that they love the new designs and the extra space on the new trains, and we love the fact that R211s are much less prone to breakdowns - running almost 300,000 miles between breakdowns, double the rest of the fleet."

"Southern Brooklyn residents deserve a comfortable and modern riding experience," said MTA Chief of Rolling Stock Jessie Lazarus. "We're proud to be rolling out R211s on the line, further expanding on the upgrade of our fleet. These new trains have the latest technology, including digital information displays and new security cameras and brighter lighting."

"I am thrilled that the train is going to be joining 'the Fleet of Fleets' and that customers will be able to benefit from everything that new train car offers," said New York City Transit President Demetrius Crichlow. "Modern, reliable cars is one thing that the MTA has committed to, so we're looking forward to providing great service to customers with these new cars."

Last month, R211s replaced all R46s on the Rockaway Shuttle line. In 2025, R211s replaced all R44s on the Staten Island Railway. These cars will eventually replace the current fleet of R46 subway cars, which have been in service on and lines for decades. NYC Transit also began replacement of the R68s, which entered service in the mid-1980s and primarily operate on the - the line being the first to debut a standard R211 in the summer of 2025. Open-gangway R211 cars began operating on the line in 2025. The new railcar has an average mean distance between failure (MDBF) rate of approximately 294,221 miles, compared to the R46's 58,685 miles. The MDBF is a measure of how far the railcar travels before a mechanical issue occurs that requires maintenance.

This follows the MTA's announcement in March that the Authority is seeking proposals from rail car manufacturers for its largest subway car contract in history with a base order of 1,140 subway cars to replace the R62 and R62A fleets operating on the and lines, and if an option to purchase the additional 1,250 cars is exercised, to replace the R142 and R142A cars on the and lines.

Customers who ride trains that use the R211 are more likely to be satisfied with train cleanliness: (63%), (62%), (64%), and (78%), compared to the overall average of 59%, and those figures continue to improve on each line. Train cleanliness is typically one of the top three drivers of subway customers' overall satisfaction. The and trains, in particular, which introduced the R211 in 2025, saw significant improvement in customer satisfaction with cleanliness with the rising seven points to 62%, and the line rising 14 points to 78% in the Fall 2025 Customers Count survey.

"I want to thank the MTA for bringing this new car to the shores of Coney Island," said Assembly Member Alec Brook-Krasny. "Wider doors mean more people can come to Coney Island, and residents of Coney Island will be better served. It's a wonderful day for Coney Island, an amusement area that is known to the whole world, so it's right that this area would be served by these new, modern cars."

"I'm proud to join the MTA in celebration of new trains serving southern Brooklyn!," said New York City Council Member Kayla Santosuosso. "Our community in Coney Island and neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx will benefit tremendously from access to a modernized, reliable, and more pleasant trip on the line. I'm thankful to my partners in state and city government for helping secure this investment in our neighborhoods."