A world-class example of repurposing subway trains as public space centrepieces

Canadian public transit operators and passenger railway services are encountering an emerging challenge in determining how to dispose of their expansive fleets of aging trains.

Over the coming years, VIA Rail has plans to retire over 300 passenger cars, with most of its existing fleet built in the years emerging out of the Second World War.

There are also plans by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) to retire several hundred aging subway cars. Montreal’s fleet of MR-73 Metro trains, mostly built in the 1970s, is now among the oldest in the world still actively used on a subway network.

And in 2025 and 2026, Metro Vancouver’s TransLink will fully retire SkyTrain’s original fleet of cars — a total of 125 Mark I cars built in the 1980s and early 1990s. In the early 2030s, the first batch of 60 Mark II cars from the early 2000s could also be retired.

In late 2024, TransLink began the bidding process, seeking proposals from community organizations, developers, municipal governments, and individuals to submit their creative and innovative proposals to relocate and reuse SkyTrain’s old Mark I cars. These will be SkyTrain’s first-ever train retirements.

Generally, there is a desire among operators to find a new active use for at least some of their aging train cars, as an alternative to sending them to the scrapyard.

New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has found some success by dumping thousands of retired subway cars off the coast of Delaware to create an artificial reef. Over the subsequent years, these train wreck reefs have created 400 times more marine food for fish and other aquatic species, compared to a sandy bottom. These subway car reefs have aided a drastic growth in fish populations, making them popular fishing areas.

But depending on the size and metal material of the body of the vehicles, not all train cars are suitable to become artificial reefs.

Another promising reuse for retired train cars is to integrate them into the urban fabric, transforming them into functional community spaces or centrepiece installations in prominent public areas — or even both. This approach would serve as a lasting tribute to their legacy and historical significance in transportation.

While there are a few Canadian examples, such as in Montreal, where retired STM subway cars have been repurposed into bars and will even be used as interior fixtures for a future multi-storey dining destination, one particularly notable existing example of this recycled concept can be found on the recently completed Wan Chai Harbourfront Promenade on Hong Kong Island, a public park and open space just east of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

This public promenade — within an area specifically called the “Water Sports and Recreation Precinct” — also includes the transformation of a long, previously inaccessible jetty into a vibrant and welcoming space, now made perfect for lingering, community gatherings, and enjoying the stunning views of Victoria Harbour and the urban jungle skylines that enclose the waterway.

At the far end of this public space jetty is the so-called “Harbour Station” installation — the permanent new home of two retired MTR subway cars, transformed into a functional community space that also serves as a striking piece of public art.

MTR Corporation, the subway operator of Hong Kong, recently retired the last of its old 12-car-long trains on the East Rail Line. The pair of “Fly Head” train cars — the two cars with the driver’s cabin — that form the double ends of the train were donated by the MTR to the Hong Kong Harbourfront Commission in September 2023 to create a new landmark installation on the Wan Chai jetty.

Some changes were made to the car interiors, while also retaining some of the original features of their past life of moving thousands of people daily.

The west car at Harbour Station retains most of its original seating and overhead support handles and bars, creating a dynamic and comfortable indoor space for the general public to relax. Video screens and other signage also provide educational material about the past life of the train cars and the MTR’s overall history.

The east car has been converted into multipurpose rooms that can be booked in advance for workshops, community activities, and other small organized gatherings. When not in use, these rooms are open to the general public. The east car features movable tables, chairs, and dividers.

Overall, the interiors of both train cars have seen relatively minimal change, retaining their original walls, doors, digital displays, ceilings, lighting fixtures, and even the MTR decals and route maps of the East Rail Line.

While modifications were being made to the train interiors after the cars were donated, work was already well underway to prepare for the second life of these cars as the centrepiece installation of the Wan Chai jetty public space.

Assisting the Harbourfront Commission in their efforts, crews with the MTR laid tracks, sleepers, and ballast at the end of the jetty — the location of Harbour Station. Over 70 crew members with the MTR and contractors were involved with the operation of moving the train cars to this location, and setting up its railway foundations.

The installation, named “Harbour Station,” derives its name from the Harbourfront Commission’s project of the construction of a faux station platform on the side of the train facing the harbour. This platform, aligned with the train’s floor height, is partially sheltered by tensile roof structures. The elevated platform area extends around the front of the east car, serving as a designated lookout point for harbour views while uniquely framing the train’s head, blending functionality with an aesthetically pleasing public space design, which includes ample landscaping.

Visitors can enter the train via staircases on its south side or through the level platform on its north side. It is also fully accessible, with a gentle ramp leading to the lookout area of the platform. Other features of the outdoor area include an artificial turf, a glowing pathway, and ample nighttime lighting.

On December 20, 2023, Harbour Station, with its whimsical and nostalgic train attraction complete, officially opened to the public.

This free community hub and attraction is open daily year-round, from 10 am to 10 pm, and it is fully air-conditioned and manned by security during all operating hours. It is near the Wan Chai Ferry Pier, and the closest MTR station is Exhibition Centre Station.

Beyond the train car attraction, other features of the newly revamped Wan Chai harbourfront promenade include ample seating areas, food and beverage concessions (including the city’s first self-service ice cream machines), rotating public art installations, community events, seasonal activations, and water-based recreational activities.

Now celebrating its first anniversary, Harbour Station’s repurposed train cars have been a popular and resounding success by all measures, according to the train’s new operator.

“Beyond its functional role, the Harbour Station has become a landmark of Wan Chai for leisure and recreation. Its nostalgic design makes it a popular photo spot, while its pet-friendly environment invites visitors to explore the venue and train cars with their furry companions,” a spokesperson for the Harbourfront Commission told Daily Hive Urbanized upon inquiry.

“Together, the Harbour Station and its surrounding installations form a vibrant cultural and community hub, blending functionality, heritage, education and modern design against the stunning backdrop of Victoria Harbour.”

The multifunctional spaces of the car interior have hosted a wide range of community activities, such as the Easter Hat Parade Workshop, Mental Wellness Workshop, and meetings organized by government departments and local organizations, including the Hong Kong Playground Association – Ocean Explorer and the sharing session for the “Strive and Rise Programme.”

“These activities reflect its role as a focal point for meaningful connections and community engagement,” said the spokesperson.

Although the MTR disposed of the retired train cars, it still maintains a close, ongoing relationship with the Harbourfront Commission team, offering advice on the continued maintenance and upkeep of the train.

Harbour Station is essentially the flagship project of the MTR’s “Legacy Train Revitalisation Programme,” which launched in 2021 to repurpose entire train cars — or even their parts — into elements of everyday community life in Hong Kong.

According to the MTR, in recent years, this program has worked with dozens of organizations to turn over 500 pieces of decommissioned train parts into different uses. This includes donating passenger seats to senior centres, schools, and recreational facilities, and some train parts have even been transformed into arm-stretching exercise equipment — installed by the MTR’s volunteer teams in the homes of seniors and train-themed classrooms.

Additionally, some MTR train cars have been donated to schools to create creative and engaging educational experiences. For example, in 2023, two repurposed train cars were unveiled at Ying Wa College and Primary School, installed in the schoolyard, and transformed into display areas featuring arts and technology elements. These installations are designed to inspire students’ interest in technology, engineering, conservation, and design, while also providing a relaxing leisure area for students. They serve as a means of promoting the rich history of Hong Kong’s railway heritage.

Hong Kong’s public transit culture is a testament to the city’s commitment to efficiency, sustainability, and convenience.

The MTR subway system, in particular, has become an integral part of daily life, seamlessly connecting neighbourhoods, fostering economic growth, and enabling a vibrant urban lifestyle.

Hong Kong has the highest rate of public transit use in the world, with over 90% or 12 million passenger journeys made on the various modes of public transit every day, including over five million on the MTR. It has some of the world’s highest-capacity subway systems, with some lines boasting a capacity of over 75,000 passengers per hour per direction.

Additionally, in the late 1990s, the MTR was among the first public transit systems in the world to introduce a smart card system for fare payment, known as the Octopus Card (the equivalent of Metrolinx/TTC’s Presto Card, STM’s OPUS Card, TransLink’s Compass Card, and BC Transit’s Umo Card). Visitors also have the option of buying a discounted tourist version of the Octopus Card for short stays only.

Renowned for its world-leading reliability, frequencies, punctuality, cleanliness, and vast reach, the MTR is not just a mode of transportation but a beloved symbol of Hong Kong’s modernity and progress. As the city continues to evolve, the MTR remains a cornerstone of its public transit infrastructure, reflecting the city’s forward-thinking approach to mobility.

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