56-513: R39 may refer to: R39 (New York City Subway car) R39 (South Africa) , a road HMS Zealous (R39) , a destroyer of the Royal Navy R39: Danger of very serious irreversible effects , a risk phrase R-39 Rif , a Soviet submarine-launched ballistic missile [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
112-488: A bumper block at the Tottenville station. It was stored at 207th Street Yard and stripped of parts for other SIR cars; by 2013, it was scrapped. In May 2013, cars 399 and 466 were taken out of service after being damaged in a sideswipe. Both cars were also stripped of parts for other SIR cars. On December 18, 2009, two 4-car sets of New York City Transit R44s, one set being a contract Morrison-Knudsen rebuild and
168-522: A new fleet of railcars. The R44 fleet originally consisted of 352 cars, of which 56 remain in service, all on the Staten Island Railway. The first R44 cars entered service on the subway on April 19, 1972, and on the Staten Island Railway on February 28, 1973. Various modifications were made over the years to the R44 fleet. The R44s set the world speed record for a subway car in 1972, reaching
224-666: A result of the tests, it was determined that only minor changes to tunnels were needed to fit the 75-foot cars, and that particular segments on the BMT Eastern Division (the J/Z , L , and M ) would be too difficult to convert to allow 75-foot (22.86 m) cars to operate safely. As such, the R44s were not delivered to those lines. At the end of 1969, bids were received and a contract was awarded for an order of 240 75-foot R44 subway cars, with an option for 60 additional cars at
280-550: A system of documentation that is still in place under MTA New York City Transit. This included a prefix letter or letters that indicated the department that the specific documentation, followed by a series of numbers of a length defined by the specific department concerned. For example, the Surface Department used the letter "S", while the Rapid Transit Department used the letter "R". A new R- number
336-547: A top speed of 87.75 mph (141.22 km/h). In the early 1990s, the R44 cars were rebuilt by Morrison–Knudsen for the New York City Transit Authority . Though the R160 order replaced all New York City Subway-operated R44s from December 18, 2009 to September 16, 2010, because of structural integrity issues found on them, the Staten Island Railway fleet remains in operation and is to be replaced by
392-663: A year; the car is manually operated, and there are no plans to automate inspection of the track geometry, which is done manually with the help of high-tech equipment aboard the car. BMT R44 (New York City Subway car) The R44 is a New York City Subway car model built by the St. Louis Car Company from 1971 to 1973 for the B Division and the Staten Island Railway (SIR). The cars replaced many R1–9 series cars, and all remaining 1925 Standard Steel built SIRTOA ME-1 trains, providing Staten Island with
448-545: Is a large rapid transit system and has a large fleet of electric multiple unit rolling stock . As of September 2024 , the New York City Subway has 6712 cars on the roster. The system maintains two separate fleets of passenger cars: one for the A Division (numbered) routes, the other for the B Division (lettered) routes. All A Division equipment is approximately 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 m) wide and 51 feet (15.54 m) long. B Division cars, on
504-428: Is assigned for any vehicle purchase involving a bidding process. Since the 1970s, the system has suffered from "R- inflation" going through only 46 R- numbers in its first 40 years, but over 114 in its subsequent 30. Possible reasons include an increased number of specialized maintenance vehicles that were previously made in house or a lower floor for requiring a formal bidding process to reduce waste and abuse. In 2001,
560-511: Is not compatible between divisions, being located on opposite sides of the track and train in each division. However, service and maintenance trains are composed of A Division-sized cars, so they can operate with either division's clearances and have safety train stops installed on both sides of the trucks. A typical revenue train consists of 8 or 10 cars. The exceptions are the Franklin Avenue Shuttle , which runs 2-car trains;
616-513: Is often used on New York Transit Museum-sponsored excursions. Between 1984 and 1989, some of the IRT trains were painted red, giving them the name Redbirds . By January 2022, various older B Division cars, such as the entire fleets of R32s, R38s, R40s, R40As, R42s, and NYCT R44s, were similarly retired and replaced by newer models, including the R160s and R179s . The General Overhaul Program (GOH)
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#1732780238226672-448: The A Division routes, the other for the B Division routes. There are 2,890 A Division cars and 3,822 B Division cars as of September 2024 . All A Division equipment is approximately 8 feet 9 inches (2.67 m) wide and 51 feet (15.54 m) long. B Division cars are larger, about 10 feet (3.05 m) wide and either 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m) or 75 feet 6 inches (23.01 m) long. The 75-foot cars,
728-403: The B cars have odd numbers and no cabs at either end. The SIR cars were not reassembled after overhaul and remain as single units. The R44s were also factory equipped with automatic train operation (ATO) equipment, in anticipation of their use on the new Second Avenue Subway Line that was being built at the time. Since September 16, 2010, all NYCT R44 cars have been retired and replaced by
784-585: The City of New York since the inception of the IND and for the other divisions beginning in 1948 are identified by the letter "R" followed by a number, e.g., R46 . This number is the contract number under which the cars were purchased. Cars with nearby contract numbers (e.g., R1 through R9 , or R21 through R36 , or R143 through R179 ) may be virtually identical, simply being purchased under different contracts. The New York City Board of Transportation settled on
840-449: The City of New York since the inception of the IND and for the other divisions beginning in 1948 are identified by the letter "R" followed by a number. Various kinds of cars are also used for maintenance work, including flatcars and vacuum trains. As of September 2024 , the New York City Subway has 6712 cars on the roster. The system maintains two separate fleets of passenger cars: one for
896-771: The New York Transit Museum . Since January 2022, the remaining R44s have been the oldest active rolling stock within the NYCT system at 51 years old, following the retirement of the R32s . Like the NYCT cars, the SIR R44s were originally planned to be retired by the R179 order; however, this plan was dropped. Proposals to overhaul and operate some R46s on the SIR to replace the R44s there surfaced instead; however, this plan
952-519: The R143 . The interior design was very different from previous models. The R44s had orange and yellow plastic bucket seats—a feature that would be incorporated into the other 75-foot (22.86 m) B-division cars and the A-division R62s and R62As . The seats were protected from the doorways by faux wood and glass panels. They were also the first car class delivered with crosswise seating since
1008-582: The R16 order from 1954. The walls were tan with "wallpaper" featuring the seals of New York State and New York City made from graffiti-resistant Formica plastics. The new interior decor was carried over to the R46 fleet. The R44 was the first car since the BMT Green Hornet to incorporate a two-note warning tone, the first two notes of Westminster Quarters , that sounds before the doors begin to close as
1064-507: The R211 order by 2024–2025. As of 2024, the R44s are the oldest active rolling stock within the NYCT system, following the retirement of the R32s . A total of 352 R44 cars were ordered; 300 cars for the New York City Subway (numbered 100–399, with 278 of the cars later renumbered 5202–5479) and 52 cars for the Staten Island Railway (also known as ME-2 , MU-2 , or MUE-2 cars, numbered 400–435 and even numbers between 436 and 466). They were
1120-656: The R32 and R42 fleet, which were being replaced with the R160 order at the time; that same month, withdrawal of the NYCT R44 fleet from revenue service began, and retirement of the R32 and R42 fleet paused indefinitely. Initially the retired NYCT R44s were to be reefed. Cars 5342–5345, one of the sets that were brought in for inspection, were amongst the first to be completely stripped in preparation for disposition as artificial reefs since
1176-638: The R44s and R46s were rebuilt, the rollsigns on the side of the cars were replaced with electronic LCD signs while the front service sign remained as a rollsign. In sharp contrast, the rebuilt R32s and R38s retained rollsigns on the sides, but a flip-dot display was placed in the front. The MTA has been incorporating newer subway cars into its stock in the past two decades. Since 1999, the R142s , R142As , R143s , R160s , R179s , R188s , and R211s have been added into service. All cars built since 1992 (including
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#17327802382261232-413: The R44s , R46s , R68s , and R68As , are not permitted on BMT Eastern Division – the J , L , M , and Z trains – because of sharper curves on those tracks. All rolling stock, in both the A and B Divisions, run on the same 4 foot 8.5 inches (1,435 mm) standard gauge and use the same third-rail geometry and voltage. However, trains operate only in their own division; operating in
1288-584: The Rockaway Park Shuttle , which runs 4- and 5-car trains; the 42nd Street Shuttle , which runs 6-car trains; the G , which runs 5-car trains; and the 7 , which runs 11-car trains. When the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company entered into agreements to operate some of the new subway lines, they decided to design a new type of car, 10 feet (3.05 m) wide and 67 feet (20.42 m) long. The subject of several patents,
1344-809: The Board, Modification 1 exercising the Option for TGC4 was awarded on January 18, 2006, for $ 9,622,858. Subsequent modifications added newer equipment, such as a more advanced laser scanner, to TGC4 prior to its delivery to NYCTA. The cars use sensors, measuring systems, and data management systems to get a profile of the tracks. The train crew consists of two-track equipment maintainers, one maintenance supervisor, and two to three engineers. The trains typically operate during off-peak weekday daytime hours so as to not interfere with more frequent rush hour service. A single car weighs 45 tons. The cars measure: The track geometry car typically checks each stretch of track about 6 times
1400-410: The NYCT cars, the SIR cars retained their original blue "M" MTA decals during their first overhaul. The cars have been undergoing further intermittent rounds of scheduled maintenance as their parts age over time. Even after their second overhaul, several SIR R44s were retired due to various mishaps. On December 26, 2008, car 402 was pulled from service after being badly damaged from accidentally hitting
1456-412: The New York City Subway that measure the system's track geometry to ensure that safe train operation is maintained. The cars are numbered TGC1–TGC4. TGC1 was ordered under contract R59 in 1984 for $ 1.4 million, TGC2 was ordered under contract R63 and cost $ 2.5 million,. Contract R-34152 purchasing TGC3 was awarded on December 29, 2004, for $ 9,610,963, and after additional funding was later authorized by
1512-603: The New York City Transit Authority started disposing of retired subway cars by dumping them at sea to create artificial reefs , with the intention of promoting marine life. This option was chosen because it was less expensive than removing asbestos from the cars; the asbestos was determined to not be a hazard in the ocean. The artificial reefs would provide environmental and economic benefits, such as providing shelter for marine animals and creating new fishing opportunities. The first reef constructed
1568-547: The P-Wire system, which did not fare well with this fleet of cars (similar systems also plagued the R46s), since most of the shop personnel were not adequately trained to deal with the P-Wire braking system's sophisticated fail/safe design for automatic train operation. The system would sometimes trigger the train's emergency braking system unexpectedly, which caused a situation known as stuck brakes. This P-Wire system, along with all of
1624-542: The R160s due to structural integrity issues found on those cars, leaving the SIR as the sole operator of the R44. The R44 cars in service on SIR are maintained at Clifton Yard , with heavier maintenance being performed at Coney Island Yard . The R44 was the first 75-foot (23 m) car for the New York City Subway. The cars were introduced under the idea that a train of eight 75-foot (22.86 m) cars would be more efficient than one of ten 60-foot (18.29 m) cars. Despite
1680-464: The automation systems (ATO) installed when these cars were built in 1972, was removed from the R44s beginning in 1984, and was replaced by a more conventional Westcode SMEE type braking system which made these cars much more reliable than with the originally installed system. The SIR cars had the same system, but fared much better than the NYCT cars. The rollsigns from eight R44s were removed and replaced by experimental flip-dot signs starting in 1988,
1736-534: The blind stated that the gaps in between R44 and R46 cars were dangerous, since the blind could mistake the spaces for doorways. Nine NYCT R44s were involved in various listed incidents that led to their premature retirements before the General Overhaul Program (GOH) program for the R44s commenced. These cars, along with car 385, were not overhauled during the GOH program; they were instead stored on
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1792-505: The car's larger profile was similar to that of steam railroad coaches, permitting greater passenger capacity, more comfortable seating, and other advantages. The BRT unveiled its design, designated BMT Standard , to the public in 1913 and received such wide acceptance that all future subway lines, whether built for the BRT, the IRT, or eventually the IND, were built to handle the wider cars. When
1848-472: The cars were in subway service. On January 31, 1972, the R44s set the world speed record for a subway car, when a consist reached a speed of 87.75 mph (141.22 km/h) on the Long Island Rail Road 's main line between Woodside and Jamaica . With two motors per car disabled, the cars still reached 77 mph (124 km/h). The cars were capable of attaining even higher speeds, but
1904-519: The completion of the R44 order and the similar State of the Art Car , the St. Louis Car Company shut down operations. An eight-car train (328–335) was tested in 1973 with carpeting, and another (380–387) was tested with hydraulic brakes that were incompatible with the rest of the R44s' braking systems. In 1979, seven of the eight cars had these systems removed and replaced with conventional air brakes, while
1960-561: The decision was made to retire the fleet. However, after car 5344 presented a serious contamination hazard that was dangerous to the aquatic life in the ocean and would have proven too costly for artificial reef preparation for the NYCT R44s and the artificial reef program as a whole ending on April 2010 anyways, the plan to reef the NYCT R44s was ultimately cancelled in favor of simply scrapping them at Sims Mental Management. The NYCT R44s were gradually phased out until September 16, 2010, when
2016-771: The end of 1969. After many months of exhaustive testing on the A , D , E , and F (one week on each service, starting December 16, 1971), as well as on the LIRR to test the cars' state-of-the-art electrical and mechanical systems, the first set of R44s was placed in service on the New York City Subway on the F on April 19, 1972, following a brief introductory ceremony attended by the Mayor of New York City John V. Lindsay , along with MTA Chairman William J. Ronan at Jamaica–179th Street station . The Staten Island R44s were delivered between January and April 1973. The first six Staten Island R44s went into service on February 28, 1973. With
2072-429: The increase in length, the R44s had eight pairs of doors per car (four on each side) like previous B Division cars. As a result, eight 75-foot (22.86 m) cars have only 64 (32 per side) pairs, whereas ten cars have 80 (40 per side). The reduced number of doors on a train of eight 75-foot (22.86 m) cars increased boarding and dwell times, so recent car orders have returned to ten 60-foot (18.29 m) cars, starting with
2128-546: The last car (car 385) was permanently removed from service. GE cars 388–399 were not converted to Westcode SMEE braking system in 1984, and were eventually sent to the Staten Island Railway in 1985 to provide SIRTOA with some extra cars since ridership increased significantly in 1985, so their existing 52-car fleet would not be overly taxed. These 12 R44 cars were built identical to the SIRTOA's specification with GE propulsion instead of Westinghouse. In 1983, organizations for
2184-407: The last subway cars built by the St. Louis Car Company prior to shutting down in 1974. The R44s originally came in singles, but needed each other to run, much like the "married pairs" of subway cars before them ( R26 to R42 , except R33S ). The NYCT cars were reassembled after overhaul into ABBA sets of four; A cars are evenly numbered with a full-width operator cabs at the number 1 end, while
2240-459: The last train made its final trips on the A and C . After retirement, the NYCT R44s were mothballed and placed into storage system-wide. From May 2012 until summer 2013, most of the NYCT R44s were scrapped at Sims Metal Management . Four cars, 5286–5289, were not scrapped and remain stored at Coney Island Yard. The only car not slated for disposal is car 5240 (originally 172), which has since been preserved and set aside for on-and-off display at
2296-473: The late 1990s, car 5284 was eventually repaired and returned to service, and the other damaged cars were stored out of service for parts until they were scrapped with the rest of the NYCT cars. All SIR cars were overhauled for a second time between 2007 and 2010 as a part of scheduled maintenance program. Several improvements included the repainting of the bulkheads, rebuilt trucks, new dark floors, newly repainted periwinkle bucket seats, and updated logos; unlike
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2352-429: The length of the test track was insufficient to allow further acceleration. To ensure the subway could accommodate 75-foot (22.86 m) cars, three retired R1 cars (numbered 165, 192, and 211; renumbered XC675, XC575, and XC775 respectively) were repurposed and sent to various places around the subway and the Staten Island Railway. Cars XC675 and XC575 were cut in half and lengthened to 75 feet (22.86 m). As
2408-503: The now out-of-service R110As and R110Bs ) are equipped with digital signs on the front, sides, and interior (except for the R110Bs , which had rollsigns on the front). Old cars, some from the original companies ( IRT , BMT , and IND ), are preserved at the New York Transit Museum , while others have been sold to private individuals and/or other railway/trolley museums. Private companies include Railway Preservation Corp., whose equipment
2464-451: The other being an in-house Coney Island Overhaul Shop rebuild, were brought in to the 207th Street Overhaul Shop for inspection; the inspection resulted in various structural integrity issues being discovered on all eight cars. As the R44s were originally planned to be retired by the R179 order, the decision was made in March 2010 to retire the R44s with the remaining R160 order in place of
2520-436: The other division is not allowed. A Division sections have narrower tunnel segments, tighter curves, and tighter platform clearances than the B Division sections, so B Division trains cannot fit in the A Division tunnels and stations, while A Division trains would have an unacceptably large gap between the platform and train if they were allowed in service on B Division lines. Also, the safety train stop (trip cock) mechanism
2576-412: The other hand, are about 10 feet (3.05 m) wide and either 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m) or 75 feet 6 inches (23.01 m) long. The A Division and B Division trains operate only in their own division; operating in the other division is not allowed. All rolling stock, in both the A and B Divisions, run on the same 4 foot 8.5 inches (1,435 mm) standard gauge and use
2632-501: The repainting of the carbon steel blue stripes into silver gray stripes (most NYCT cars) or the replacement of the stripes with stainless steel panels (NYCT cars 5228–5229 and all SIR cars). The rollsigns on the sides were replaced with electronic LCD signs on the NYCT cars and were completely removed on the SIR cars. The SIR R44s, however, retained their original two-note warning tones from their entry into service, unlike their NYCT counterparts, which had their warning tones replaced with
2688-507: The same third-rail geometry and voltage. A typical revenue train consists of 8 to 10 cars, although in practice they can range between 2 and 11 cars. The subway's rolling stock have operated under various companies: the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit (BMT), and Independent Subway System (IND), all of which have since merged into the New York City Transit Authority . Cars purchased by
2744-560: The same ones that are found on the R46s , R62s , R62As , R68s , and R68As . Even after the GOH program, several NYCT R44s were retired due to various mishaps. Cars 5319 and 5402 were damaged in separate fire-related incidents. Cars 5282–5285 were involved in a derailment north of 135th Street , resulting in the whole set being placed out of service. Car 5248 was taken out of service in 2004 due to cracked truck bolsters . Cars 5282 and 5319 were completely destroyed and subsequently scrapped in
2800-547: The same title formed as a letter–number combination. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=R39&oldid=1120428014 " Category : Letter–number combination disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages R39 (New York City Subway car) The New York City Subway
2856-665: The same year the New Technology Program began. These experimental flip-dots signs were replaced by electronic LCD signs on the sides and rollsigns on the front during the General Overhaul Program from 1991 to 1993. The R44s were designed to be automated and had a high design top speed of 70 mph (110 km/h) in anticipation of operation on new subway lines to be built, such as the Second Avenue Subway , which never opened while
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#17327802382262912-593: The system and stripped of parts until March 2001, when they were shipped off property and scrapped. During the General Overhaul Program, from 1991 to 1993, 342 R44s were rebuilt by the NYCT either at the 207th Street Yard in Manhattan or the Coney Island Complex in Brooklyn (cars 5342–5479 and all SIR cars) and by Morrison–Knudsen off NYCT premises (cars 5202–5341). Some improvements included
2968-413: The train prepares to leave the station. When the cars were built, the chime was sounded four seconds before the doors closed, but the time delay was later removed. This has become the signature sound of the subway and is used with all subsequent cars. The R44s were also the first NYCT subway cars to feature a newly designed WABCO-RT5 electronically and pneumatically controlled braking system also known as
3024-480: Was Redbird Reef in Delaware. Eventually, multiple states received retired subway cars for reefs. The program was discontinued in 2010, after more than 2,500 cars were reefed, because newer cars contained more plastic, which was too expensive to economically remove before reefing. Various kinds of cars are used for maintenance work, including flatcars and vacuum trains. There are four track geometry cars on
3080-820: Was a mid-life overhaul program for neglected subway cars, which involved a thorough rebuilding of the fleet. Since the completion of the GOH program, the new Scheduled Maintenance System (SMS) program has replaced the GOH program by ensuring that trains do not reach a state in which they would need such an overhaul. The car types, which were part of the MTA NYCT GOH program, are the IRT Redbirds ( R26 , R28 , R29 , R33 , R33S , R36 ), as well as IND/BMT cars ( R30 GE, R32 , R38 , R40, R40A , R42 , R44 , and R46 ). These cars were rebuilt between 1985 and 1993. Some cars in various classes from R10 to R46 were also given lighter overhauls during this period. Cars purchased by
3136-450: Was also dropped. As such, the SIR R44s not written off received intermittent rounds of scheduled maintenance to extend their usefulness until retirement. Ultimately, 75 R211S cars have been ordered to replace the SIR R44s; these started entering service on October 8, 2024. The SIR R44s are being gradually phased out from mid-2023, with a handful of cars being retired and cannibalized for parts to keep other cars running. The remainder of
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