 The New York Board of Transportation ordered ten new prototype subway cars made of stainless steel from the Budd Company . These R11 cars , so called because of their contract number , were delivered in 1949 and specifically intended for the Second Avenue Subway . They cost US $ 100 @,@ 000 ( equivalent to $ 1 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 in 2015 ) each ; the train became known as the " million dollar train " . The cars featured porthole style round windows and a new public address system . Reflecting public health concerns of the day , especially regarding polio , the R11 cars were equipped with electrostatic air filters and ultraviolet lamps in their ventilation systems to kill germs . 
