MTA Opens New Subway Car Acceptance and Testing Facility Near Boro Park

Boro Park — A new facility, which is designed to accept and test new subway cars, was recently opened at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park, just over a mile outside of Boro Park.

The facility—which the MTA said came in $5.5 million under budget—serves as the first stop for all new subway cars before they are put into service. It can accept rolling stock delivered by truck, rail, or boat. Once accepted, individual cars will be linked together for testing and commissioning on the facility’s in-house tracks.

The newly created trains will then be sent via the facility’s direct connection to the subway network for further testing and will enter revenue service once they pass final inspection.

According to the MTA, this facility will help it process 1,500 new subway cars, work locomotives, and other rolling stock more efficiently, enabling on-site testing so they can enter service more quickly.

This is the first brand-new, full-scale subway car facility located on a new property that the Authority has added since the Pitkin Yard in East New York opened back in 1948.

“Our historic $11 billion investment in rolling stock calls for a top-of-the-line new testing facility,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “Now we’re ready to start processing the 1,500+ subway cars included in the Capital Plan, no matter how they’re delivered — by land or by water.”

The New Subway Cars

This comes as the MTA prepares to receive the biggest infusion of new “R211” subway cars, which are currently being replaced on the A, B, C, D, and G lines. As well as more new cars, “R268” for the B division, and the “R262” cars, which will replace the old cars on the 1, 3, and 6 lines, according to the MTA.

These modern cars also assist the MTA in upgrading subway lines to Communications-based Train Control (CBTC) signaling, which the MTA is slowly implementing. All R211 and R268s come equipped with technology that seamlessly integrates with CBTC signals.

The MTA said this and other projects are funded by the controversial congestion pricing program (which was extensively reported on by FrumNews).

“Thanks to funding from congestion pricing and the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan, we are making generational upgrades to our subway fleet,” Governor Hochul said. “Thousands of new, modern cars are set to improve the riding experience for millions of New Yorkers. By streamlining the process needed to get these new cars on the rails and into service, this new facility will ensure that riders feel the benefits of a new and improved subway fleet faster than ever.”