Rough ride on the R train: Brooklyn lawmaker rips MTA over recurring rail woes

Brooklyn commuters are facing longer wait times on the R train after the MTA pulled two dozen relatively new subway cars from service due to a mysterious mechanical issue, according to a local lawmaker.

To mitigate the delays, some trains from the G line have been reassigned to the R, but riders should still expect some disruptions, state Sen. Andrew Gounardes said after meeting with MTA officials Wednesday.

Gounardes said the MTA was investigating the unusual wear on the wheels of 24 trains, which were taken out of service last month despite being only 15 years old and well within their expected lifespan.

“The MTA is doing what they can to restore normal service while they work to determine and fix the underlying cause,” Gounardes wrote on X. “I’ve pushed the agency to run more trains during rush hour, especially headed toward Manhattan, so commuters can get where they need to go.”

An MTA spokesperson said the problem affects R160 model trains housed at the Jamaica Yard in Queens, adding that transit officials were investigating why the wheels are degrading more quickly than expected.

MTA CEO and Chairman Janno Lieber addressed the issue at an MTA board meeting last month, saying engineers were “studying the heck out of this issue.”

“We don’t have any findings to act on yet. We are really still studying,” he said.

The latest subway setback comes as the MTA grapples with aging infrastructure across the system. As Gothamist previously reported, 77 out of the city’s 224 subway substations still rely on outdated and unreliable technology, contributing to delays that frequently leave commuters stranded.