Credit: Marc A. Hermann / MTA on Flickr
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will buy nearly 400 new subway cars as part of its ongoing effort to modernize New York City’s fleet and signal system. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced that the MTA Board approved a $1.5 billion contract for 378 R268 subway cars for the system’s “B” Division, featuring signals compatible with the agency’s transition to Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) technology. Funded through the MTA’s 2025–2029 Capital Plan, the new trains are expected to begin arriving in fall 2028.
Designed with features similar to the R211 cars, the R268 will include modern passenger amenities such as pre-installed security cameras in every car, more accessible seating, brighter lighting, and clearer signage. The new cars will also offer significant performance upgrades over the older models they replace.
The new cars will replace the aging R68 and R68A fleets once they are fully delivered by 2030, marking the completion of the modernization of the subway’s “B” Division. The older trains currently serve the B, D, N, Q, and W lines and are nearing the end of their service lives…