R44 (New York City Subway car)
R44 | |
---|---|
standard gauge |
The R44 is a
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
Description
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).[5][6] They were 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 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 the R160s due to structural integrity issues found on those cars, leaving the SIR as the sole operator of the R44. Currently, 57 SIR R44 cars remain in service and are maintained at
Firsts
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 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 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
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 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.[7] This has become the signature sound of the subway and is used with all subsequent cars.[8]
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 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 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, 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 set the
History
Pre-introduction
To ensure the subway could accommodate 75-foot (22.86 m) cars, three retired R1 cars (numbered 165, 192, and 211;[11] 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).[12]
It was determined that particular segments on the
) would be too difficult to convert to allow 75-foot (22.86 m) cars to operate safely, so the R44s were not delivered to those lines.Delivery and early mishaps
After many months of exhaustive testing on the
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.[14] In 1979, seven of the eight cars had these systems removed and replaced with conventional air brakes, while the last car (car 385) was permanently removed from service.[9]
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. [citation needed]
In 1983, organizations for the blind stated that the gaps in between R44 and R46 cars were dangerous, since the blind could mistake the spaces for doorways.[15]
Nine NYCT R44s were involved in various listed incidents that led to their premature retirements before the
General Overhaul Program and post-overhaul
During the General Overhaul Program, from 1991 to 1993, 342 R44s were rebuilt by the NYCT either at the
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
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 the NYCT cars, the SIR cars retained their original blue "M" MTA decals during their first overhaul.[9] The cars have been undergoing further intermittent rounds of scheduled maintenance as their parts age over time.
Retirement
NYCT cars
The NYCT R44s were originally planned to be retired by the R179 order.[21] However, in late 2009, New York City Transit found various structural integrity issues on their fleet of R44s, which resulted in the decision to retire them with the remainder of the R160 order in place of the remaining R32s and R42s, which were being replaced with the R160 order at the time. The NYCT R44s were gradually phased out from December 18, 2009[4] until September 16, 2010, when 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.[22]
From May 2012 until summer 2013, most of the NYCT R44s were scrapped at Sims Metal Management.[23][24] Four cars, 5286–5289, were not scrapped and remain stored at Coney Island Yard.[25] 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 the New York Transit Museum.
Staten Island Railway cars
Like the NYCT cars, the SIR R44s were originally planned to be retired by the R179 order; however, these plans were dropped. Proposals to overhaul and operate some R46s on the SIR to replace the R44s there surfaced instead; however, this plan was also dropped. 75 R211S cars have been ordered to replace the SIR R44s in 2024–2025.[26][27][28] In the meantime, the SIR R44s are receiving intermittent rounds of scheduled maintenance to extend their usefulness until retirement.[21][29]
Out of the 64 SIR cars, 57 remain in service.
As of January 2024, the remaining R44s are the oldest active rolling stock within the NYCT system at 52 years old, following the retirement of the R32s.
References
- ^ a b c "Instagram".
- ^ "Car/Yard Assignments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2019.
- ^
- 'Subdivision 'A' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
- 'Subdivision 'B' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
- ^ a b Chiasson, George (March 2010). "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 53 (3). Electric Railroaders' Association: 7. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ New York: R-44s set a fast pace Railway Age March 6, 1972 pages 49/50
- ^ "New York's R-44 cars enter service". Railway Gazette International. July 1972. p. 275.
- ISBN 978-9996650697. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ "Audible Information Design in the New York City Subway System: A Case Study" (PDF). Retrieved January 30, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "R-44 (St. Louis, 1971-1973)". www.nycsubway.org. 1995–2012. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- ^ a b "New York City Transit Facts & Figures: 1979" (PDF). La Guardia and Wagner Archives. Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Transit Authority. 1979. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ^ Oszustowicz, Eric; et al. (March 2006). "A History of the R-1 to R-9 Passenger Car Fleet" (PDF). The Bulletin. Vol. 49, no. 3. New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association. p. 37. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
- ^ Car XC675 (ex-165):
- Testagrose, Joe (September 1970). Car XC675 (ex-165) at Coney Island Yard. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- Grotjahn, Doug (June 1, 1970). Car XC575 (ex-192) at Tottenville on SIRT. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- Testagrose, Joe (June 7, 1970). Car XC575 (ex-192) at St. George on SIRT. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- Grotjahn, Doug (September 27, 1970). Car XC575 (ex-192) at Jefferson Avenue on SIRT. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- Hoskins, Steve (August 1976). Car XC675 (ex-165) at Coney Island Yard. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved April 5, 2015.
- .
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 25, 2016 – via New York Times Archive.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 13, 2018.
- ^ spicker613 (March 19, 2001). Original Kodachrome Slide NYC Subway R-44 120/109 207 Yard Scrap March 19, 2001. Flickr (Photograph). Retrieved April 8, 2015.
{{cite AV media}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ spicker613 (March 19, 2001). Original Kodachrome Slide NYC Subway R-44 248, R-62 1439 Barge March 19, 2001. Flickr (Photograph). Retrieved April 8, 2015.
{{cite AV media}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Equipment Railway Age January 1990 page 8
- ^ Barron, James (July 5, 1997). "Investigators Seek Clues to Explain Subway Train Derailment". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ Train Crash (Photograph). May 2018. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ a b "MTA Capital Program 2008–2013" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. February 2008. p. 28. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ Dooley, John (August 26, 2011). R-44 Car 5286 Pending Scrap. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ Noel, Nicholas (January 28, 2013). R-44 Car 5332 on Tractor Trailer. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ "R-44 (St. Louis, 1971-1973): Detailed Roster (Renumbering/Disposition)". www.nycsubway.org. 1995–2012. Retrieved April 8, 2015.
- ^ "Google Maps".
- ^ "R34211 Notice-of-Addendum: Addendum #3" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 11, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
- ^ "MTA Capital Program Milestones – March 31, 2011" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ "MTA 2017 Final Proposed Budget November Financial Plan 2017 – 2020 Volume 2 November 2016" (PDF). mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. November 16, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
- ^ "R44 SMS". Flickr – Photo Sharing!. October 13, 2015.
- ^ "Train derailment at Staten Island Railway station cost city MTA more than a half-million dollars". April 30, 2009.
- ^ Dooley, John (November 29, 2011). R-44 at 207th Street Yard. www.nycsubway.org (Photograph). Retrieved October 3, 2015.
- ^ Bulletin 2013 erausa.org
- ^ "Google Maps".
- ^ "Car/Yard Assignments" (PDF). December 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
Further reading
- Sansone, Gene. Evolution of New York City subways: An illustrated history of New York City's transit cars, 1867-1997. New York Transit Museum Press, New York, 1997 ISBN 978-0-9637492-8-4