New subway cars let riders — and smells, and creeps — move freely
By David Meyer and Tamar Lapin
January 21, 2020 | 5:49pm
First look at MTA's new state-of-the-art subway cars.MTA
Get ready to smell other straphangers from several subway cars away.
The MTA on Tuesday released a sneak peek of its upcoming “open gangway” trains, in which all the cars are linked via one long passage.
Images of the under-construction cars show a seamless corridor with wall handles between the cars — instead of the heavy doors and rickety platforms on trains currently riding the rails.
The new design should increase capacity and allow commuters to move freely around trains — but also mean unpleasant smells, sounds and people will no longer be confined to one carriage.
“They have benefits and issues — less worry about falling [in between cars] but no escape from someone you’re trying to get away from in your car — think performers, odiferous and, or dangerous individuals, pizza rats,” said Lisa Daglian of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA.