Unusual stanchion's on R160?

[traildriver]

I was on an E train yesterday, and noticed something I hadn't before---the stanchion's or poles had a double section --a sort of loop from about waist height to neck height to allow more standee's to secure a hand-hold.

Is this something new?

I am sorry that I did not make note of the car number.......

[Broadway Local]

I believe R160A #9802-9798 has those stanchions. And it's rare to find those, my last ride on that car was on the .

[QM1to6Ave]

They were part of a plan to modify certain cars to have more standees squish into the cars. I believe these are the same cars that had seats that were changed to fold up so let on more standees. However, nobody liked the plan so the MTA backed off of it, and a few test cars are left floating around the system.

[NYtransit]

They were part of a plan to modify certain cars to have more standees squish into the cars. I believe these are the same cars that had seats that were changed to fold up so let on more standees. However, nobody liked the plan so the MTA backed off of it, and a few test cars are left floating around the system.

 

Cars 8713-8722 were modified, but then put back to normal. 9802-9798 just had them ordinarily