Railcar Acceptance and Testing Facility opens in Sunset Park

This is the first brand-new, full-scale subway car facility located on a new property that the Authority has added since 1948

The MTA opened a Railcar Acceptance and Testing Facility in Sunset Park Nov. 21.

The site is located near the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and will be the first stop for all new subway cars before they are put into service. 

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 opened in Brooklyn in 1948.

The announcement was made by MTA officials and Governor Kathy Hochul.

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

“This facility consolidates work that was once spread amongst different yards and unites it all under one roof,” MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said. “It’s another example of the MTA delivering a critical project on time and under budget to improve subway reliability for decades to come.”   

This facility will help the MTA process new subway cars, work locomotives and other rolling stock more efficiently, helping complete onsite testing so they can enter service more quickly.

It accepts 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. 

“Thanks to funding from congestion pricing and the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan, we are making generational upgrades to our subway fleet,” 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.” 

The MTA said the facility was completed within a three-year timeline, and its opening comes as they are actively buying hundreds of modern R211 and R268 subway cars that will eventually replace all R46 and R68 subway cars, which have been in service for decades. 

The $68 billion 2025-29 Capital Plan includes the purchase of over 1,500 new subway cars, which is the largest new investment in rolling stock since the 1980s. 

New R211 cars are being delivered, with 750 already delivered and another 860 still to arrive.    

Local pols also expressed their excitement with the new facility.

“Today’s opening builds on Sunset Park’s legacy of industrial innovation and maritime commerce,” said Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes. “As we strive to uphold our commitment to improving public infrastructure and transportation, I am proud to welcome this first-of-its-kind facility to our community. Thank you to everyone involved in ensuring the project was delivered on time and under budget.” 

“I am proud to welcome this new railcar acceptance facility into our district,” said Councilmember Alexa Avilés. “Our public transportation system is the beating heart of our city. Investments that improve the efficiency of our trains will serve me and my neighbors, who rely on NYCT for their daily commutes across the city.”