Tour the MTA's new open-gangway subway cars in Midtown this week

Thoughts of dread getting onto a NYC subway can be pushed aside in this opportunity to check out the MTA's shiny new prototype. The MTA announced that it will put its new class of subway cars on display, beginning today, with several opportunities for commuters to give feedback on their design. (h/t NY1)

The R-2-11 train will notably feature an open gangway between cars to help pack more straphangers inside. Cars also boast a 58-inch door spans, which is eight inches wider than standard doors. Digital displays show real-time information about service and stations. Finally, the model is decorated with blue and yellow stripes and the state seal—a nice reminder that when you're having subway woes, the MTA is run by New York state (and, by extension, Governor Andrew Cuomo).

In a release, MTA chairman Joe Lhota noted that customer feedback on the new cars is “very important,” and said that “developing a first-in-class subway car is an essential part of modernizing our subway system.”

The MTA has plans to roll out 10 different prototypes of open gangway trains by the 2020s. But the transit agency has said that if the prototypes prove successful, a full order of open gangway cars would not arrive until the late 2020s. (They’ll roll out on the lettered lines first.) And you shouldn't expect a full, system-wide change to take effect until the mid-2070s.

If you're interested in checking out the very first prototype, head to 34th St-Hudson Yards: They’ll be on display from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. over the weekend. MTA staff will be on hand to give tours, answer questions, and take feedback from the public—so now’s the time to make your voice heard if you have really strong feelings about open-gangway cars.

• MTA giving public first look of new subway car prototype [NY1]
• All MTA coverage [Curbed]