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.
“I promised New Yorkers that we’d make generational investments in the transit system that is the lifeblood of our region, and we’re delivering by purchasing 378 state-of-the-art cars that will keep our city moving for decades to come,” Hochul said.
“These new subway cars will carry billions of riders over their lifetime, connecting the people and places we hold dear with the safety and reliability New Yorkers need and deserve.”
The new cars support the MTA’s ongoing transition to modern CBTC signaling, which allows trains to run more frequently, reliably, and efficiently while reducing crowding and improving travel times. The technology also provides more precise real-time arrival information for riders.
Signal modernization work is underway on the A, C, E, F, and G lines. Funding from congestion pricing will help upgrade signals on the Fulton Street and Liberty Avenue segments of the A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens, as well as the Sixth Avenue line serving the B, D, F, and M trains in Manhattan.
Additional funding from the MTA’s five-year capital plan will support further signal upgrades on the A and SR, the J and Z lines between the Williamsburg Bridge and Broad Street, and the N, Q, R, and W lines in Manhattan and Astoria.
Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. will assemble the fleet in Yonkers, creating hundreds of manufacturing jobs across New York State, according to Railway Supply.
“This purchase allows us to replace cars at the end of their useful life before they start breaking down,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “And by building on the successful procurement of R211 train cars, we were able to save money on nearly 400 modern subway cars.”
The new cars and signals aim to address long-standing issues with the subway system, which frequently experiences delays caused by outdated trains and signaling. In September, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reported that more than a quarter of subway cars have exceeded their 40-year lifespan, and major service disruptions linked to car issues nearly tripled—from 27 to 77—in the first six months of 2025.
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