R268 (R68/R68A Replacement) - Information & Discussion

[Around the Horn]

Seems like the MTA is officially moving forward on this. They are "inviting vendors to participate in an RFP process for the procurement of consulting services for the R262
and R268 Subway Car Contracts" I would imagine the 2 year contact terms means they expect to put out an RFP for the cars by then.

https://new.mta.info/document/112931

[Lawrence St]

NOOOOO not the last of the SMEE’s 😭😭😭😭

[R32 3838]

it wouldn't surprise me if they use micro LEDs for these cars since by then they should be much cheaper. Micro LEDs would make the led signs look like what you would see on a regular LCD screed with an LED backlight.

 

But it doesn't surprise me that they might do both the R262/R268 orders at the same time.

[Chris89292]

I wonder if the R268 will have a different design from the R211’s, I don’t want another R179’s situation, reusing the same design from previous subway cars seems foolish 

[R32 3838]

8 minutes ago, Chris89292 said:

I wonder if the R268 will have a different design from the R211’s, I don’t want another R179’s situation, reusing the same design from previous subway cars seems foolish 

It would be the same design with more improvements from the R211 order, It'll probably be all open gangway as well.

 

As for the R262s. If it were up to me, I would have given it to Alstom since they own the bombardier R142 design and at the same time they could also rebuild the r142s to R262 specs minus the open gangway. This would make the most sense besides just converting the cars to CBTC. But If Kawasaki gets it then they can rebuild the remaining R142A's to R262 specs minus the open gangway along with the brand new R262s.

Edited June 9, 2023 by R32 3838

[LGA Link N Train]

Its nice to hear that the R-268 Contract is a thing. Now its only a matter of time before we learn about what the base order will consist of and if there will be any Option orders.

[R32 3838]

34 minutes ago, LGA Link N Train said:

Its nice to hear that the R-268 Contract is a thing. Now its only a matter of time before we learn about what the base order will consist of and if there will be any Option orders.

It'll probably a 800 car order. You need 755 60 foot R268s to replace the entire R68 fleet, They'll probably add an additional 45 cars for fleet expansion totaling up to 800 cars. Makes me think the Base would be at least 400 cars with the option order being 400 cars.

Edited June 10, 2023 by R32 3838

[ABCDEFGJLMNQRSSSWZ]

This is good to see. Some things I think would be nice to see (starting with R211 as the baseline):

1. Higher Res LED front bullet. Ik this is a pretty minor thing and at least R211 has a color bullet now, but I think it would make for better clarity and consistency. Also making certain LEDs larger/higher Res so they can display full station names.

2. Regular sized doors (and in exchange more seatings); basically, a similar indoor layout to the current NTTs. I don't think the whole or even most of the B-Divison needs cars with super wide doors to handle normal loads. If the MTA is concerned about space/accessibility you could do more flip-up seating or lean seating on the ends of cars. If the MTA wanted to, they could have like 2 models of R268s which have different seating arrangements.

3. Larger windows. If they go back to normal sized doors that would obv help, but things discussed in the other thread such as moving displays above the windows and creating windows for the lower-half of the doors could also be interesting

All this stuff is more on the aesthetics side; I'm sure there's many technical ways the cars could be improved as well.

[ABOGbrooklyn]

Can someone Pin this post?  This will be a major topic of discussion.

 

And unpin the R188 post since that hasn't been discussed in 2 years.

Edited June 10, 2023 by ABOGbrooklyn

[MJHmarc]

Having 65ft sets will give the system great flexibility in addition to 100% NTT. 

[ABOGbrooklyn]

@+Young+Can you pin this post? And de-pin the R188 post that hasnt been discussed in over 2 years.

[+Young+]

11 minutes ago, ABOGbrooklyn said:

@+Young+Can you pin this post? And de-pin the R188 post that hasnt been discussed in over 2 years.

Done. Thanks for your feedback!!

[NBTA]

15 hours ago, R32 3838 said:

It'll probably a 800 car order. You need 755 60 foot R268s to replace the entire R68 fleet, They'll probably add an additional 45 cars for fleet expansion totaling up to 800 cars. Makes me think the Base would be at least 400 cars with the option order being 400 cars.

I would go for 1000 cars, just for fleet expansion/extra trains.

[MJHmarc]

3 hours ago, MJHmarc said:

Having 65ft sets will give the system great flexibility in addition to 100% NTT. 

Correction… 60Ft

[ABCDEFGJLMNQRSSSWZ]

4 hours ago, NBTA said:

I would go for 1000 cars, just for fleet expansion/extra trains.

If any new B division extensions are built or under heavy construction by the time on this contract it may influence the order; especially if SAS Phase III is under serious construction by this time, the  will need a fleet. I have my doubts though.

[Vulturious]

9 minutes ago, ABCDEFGJLMNQRSSSWZ said:

If any new B division extensions are built or under heavy construction by the time on this contract it may influence the order; especially if SAS Phase III is under serious construction by this time, the  will need a fleet. I have my doubts though.

Yeah let's focus on one key word here and that word is "if." We're still very far from seeing Phase II let alone Phase III. Obviously the order is going to take a while before it starts being delivered, I mean look at how long the R211's took since it was first announced that contracts started bidding (aside from COVID issues). 

[Chris89292]

1 hour ago, Vulturious said:

Yeah let's focus on one key word here and that word is "if." We're still very far from seeing Phase II let alone Phase III. Obviously the order is going to take a while before it starts being delivered, I mean look at how long the R211's took since it was first announced that contracts started bidding (aside from COVID issues). 

Yeah, I remember when the design for the R211 was introduced like in 2016, I really hope the new fleet contracts don’t take this long either, we already have the R262 design ready, not sure how the R268 will look like

[trainfan22]

I'd bet my last dollar that the R268 will look exactly like the R211s do. 

 

 

Throughout the subways history they kept the same design for the several car classes. Most of those SMEE fleets in both divisions from the 1960s look exactly the same. R16 though R38 have the same general look.

[40 to 241st]

Already what the f**k is this there not even half way done w/ r211's or even got the r262s

[Vulturious]

48 minutes ago, 40 to 241st said:

Already what the f**k is this there not even half way done w/ r211's or even got the r262s

The R211's literally went through almost exactly what the R262's and R268's are going through right now dating back to the early 2010's and the R179's weren't even built yet by that time. 

[ABCDEFGJLMNQRSSSWZ]

1 hour ago, Vulturious said:

The R211's literally went through almost exactly what the R262's and R268's are going through right now dating back to the early 2010's and the R179's weren't even built yet by that time. 

I remember thinking about how I was barely out of elementary school when I went to the R211 mock up at the newly opened Hudson Yards station and thinking about how distint it was. Still have photos from that, but my iPad had a terrible camera and I was generally a bad photographer.

[RandomRider0101]

4 hours ago, 40 to 241st said:

Already what the f**k is this there not even half way done w/ r211's or even got the r262s

This is standard procedure for all subway cars. They have to be planned well in advance as it is a lengthy process. It took about a decade from when the R211 was first announced publicly to when the first train made it to MTA property. The R262s & R268s haven't even been awarded yet, so they both have a long way to go before they make it to NYCT.

[Chris89292]

50 minutes ago, RandomRider0101 said:

This is standard procedure for all subway cars. They have to be planned well in advance as it is a lengthy process. It took about a decade from when the R211 was first announced publicly to when the first train made it to MTA property. The R262s & R268s haven't even been awarded yet, so they both have a long way to go before they make it to NYCT.

Dang, I guess a contract a award will most likely happen in 2028, with the pilot train arriving in 20230, or 2031, by then CBTC should be completely installed on the 8th and 6th Avenue lines, and possibly by that time the MTA will be working on installing CBTC on the Lexington Avenue line, it’s just my assumptions, anyone can correct me here or add on

[Lawrence St]

Honestly I don’t even know why they’re going through with a R268 order…teleportation will be made available to the public by that time! /s

[cony]

Any reason why the rolling stock for the NTTs seem to always be manufactured by Bombardier/Alstom or Kawasaki? Why doesn't the MTA ever go with other manufacturers like CAF, Siemens, Stadler, etc?