Brand-new subway cars now make up Staten Island’s only train line

The Staten Island Railway (SIR) fleet is now entirely made up of new R211 subway cars, replacing ones that have been in service for more than 50 years, MTA officials announced on Sept. 12.

The new fleet replaces a bunch of R44 cars dating back to 1973, and features pre-installed security cameras in each car and 58-inch wide door openings that are eight inches wider than the standard door openings on the older fleet. Wider doors are designed to speed up boarding and reduce the amount of time trains sit in stations.

The cars also have additional accessible seating, digital displays to provide station-specific information, and “brighter lighting and signage,” which the MTA said will improve the customer experience.

The MTA started rolling out the fleet last year .

The Staten Island Railway runs from Tottenvile to St. George.Photo by Marc Hermann/MTA

“New rolling stock is a huge part of the MTA’s fully funded capital plan, and now Staten Island is the first borough to get a full fleet of R211S train cars,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “The new models not only look great, but they’re key to running more reliable service for the borough’s thousands of daily riders.”

In line with “best industry practices,” the R44 cars will still be available for “a few years” as the new fleet is introduced, according to the MTA.

Borough President Vito Fossella, who has been at odds lately with the MTA over congestion pricing and express bus service, welcomed the new cars to Staten Island.

“We are pleased that, after 50 years, the Staten Island Railway will finally be completely up-to-speed with the rest of the city,” Fossella said. “The newer trains are a welcome development for safety, accessibility and comfort when traveling. We will continue to support and advocate for modernizing our Staten Island Railway and putting our commuters first.”

MTA workers next to a Staten Island train.Photo by Marc Hermann/MTA

NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow, who was once the head of the SIR, said the cars will make riders’ trips “undeniably better” along the train’s 21 stops, most of which are free to use .

“This major milestone of successfully introducing all of the R211S cars into service on the Staten Island Railway means smoother commutes for Staten Islanders,” Crichlow said.