WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled the first open gangway train into service on Thursday morning amid the ongoing battle over congestion pricing. The new R211T trains feature an accordion connection between cars, similar to MTA buses, intended to speed up boarding and decrease train dwell time at stations. Commuters can move seamlessly between the cars on the C line as the two new trains will run between Washington Heights and East New York. Hochul’s inaugural ride marked the first time an open gangway train has operated in the modern history of subways in the United States. “This will be the first time ever these cars have been deployed in North America, now if you travel across the pond, you go to Europe, you go to London, you’re going to see this experience, but we’ve never done this before in North America,” Hochul said. However, the funding for the trains and to improve signals on the A line that runs through Rockaway and Brownsville is at risk due to congestion pricing opposition. “We want to make sure we can properly fund our five-year capital plan and that hinges on the continuation of the plan to go forward with congestion pricing without further delays,” Hochul said. MTA CEO and Chair Janno Lieber expressed concern over lawsuits filed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and other officials that could obstruct the new trains and other projects. Lieber emphasized the impact on A train riders, saying, “If it gets held up by litigation, that’ll be unfortunate because people who ride the A train deserve a train that’s as fast and reliable, as frequent as the L train. We cannot put in new signals, a $2 billion project, because we don’t have the certainty about when congestion pricing will allow us to collect that additional revenue.” New Jersey Transit is also in need of funding and has proposed a 15% fare increase. “In New Jersey, they’re focused on drivers, but they haven’t solved the fiscal crisis and the only solution so far is to hit the riders for 15 percent more fares without dealing with the whole scale of a 25 percent budget crisis,” Lieber said. Public hearings for the congestion pricing plan are expected later in February. Another new feature on the trains is something many have been pushing for—security cameras built into the trains. Additionally, Newark holds a lottery to select residents who can buy houses for $1.
