New York City Subway rolling stock

The history of the vehicles of the New York City Subway is as complicated as the New York subway itself since the opening of the subway on 27 October 1904, 50 different types of vehicles were on the lines of the New York subway system already in use. When one adds to all model series of high rail cars to who were on their way even before this date, so you should never to well over 100 different types of vehicles.

Overview

The New York City Subway, with more than 6,200 passenger cars over the largest underground car park in the world. The cars are sorted by year of construction, type and area of ​​use as a solo or two-car on the road or permanently coupled to four-and five -car sets. The cars are powered electrically. The power consumption via a power rail at 600 volts DC, which is coated of the bogies attached to current collectors of the above. The busbar itself is a simple railroad track that is shielded to prevent accidents with plastic planks upwards. The maximum design speed of the car is currently 55 mph ( 88.5 km / h ). However, it has already given versions with far higher speeds.

Historically, there are two profiles in the New York subway. The reason is that today's route network was built by three companies competing who operated their routes independently. Here, the Interborough Rapid Transit Company ( IRT) took the high profile of their tracks as a benchmark, which corresponded approximately to the dimensions of tramcars. The other two companies, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company ( BRT) and its successor, the Brooklyn - Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT ) and the Independent City Owned Rapid Transit Railroad of New York City itself were based, however, on much broader profile of conventional railways. As part of the Association of New York subway after 1940 arose from the three initially independent subnetworks two divisions ( " Divisions "), which bring the each existing profile expressed.

Accordingly, in the subway, two different types of vehicles used. The slim -profile types are collectively referred to Division A, the wide -profile types are part of the Division B. Division A cars are 51 feet 0.5 inches ( 15.56 m ) long and up to 8 feet 10 inches (2.69 m) wide, the Division B 60 feet 2.5 inches ( 18.35 m ) long and a maximum of 10 feet (3.05 m) wide. In addition Vehicles Division A with 12 feet are (3.66 m) by 2 inches or 5 cm lower than in the Division B. The floor height is each about 3 feet 9 inches (1.14 m) above rail level. Dividing A ( lines 1 to 7) has approximately 2,800 cars Division B ( lines A to Z) approximately 3,400 cars.

The car body is made of stainless steel and is in contrast to earlier no longer painted. Four side doors are installed in a double bag of the division a three, the division B, which are always opened and closed centrally. Front side, there are still in the middle of each one sliding or hinged door as a transition opportunity for the staff. The cab trainset is still located at the side of this door on older models, with newer vehicles it extends over the entire width of the car. The cars are fitted at the ends with anti-climbing ( anticlimber ), which also serve as the floor of the car transition. The car transition is additionally secured by shear bars or rubber-coated steel chains.

In both divisions normally trains are formed of ten cars but then have a correspondingly different length and capacity. Exceptions are:

• The former as " Eastern Division " line designated group of BMT (lines J / M / Z and L) with 8 cars, due to the shorter platform lengths in this subsystem
• The line C with 8 cars
• The line G with 4 cars
• The 3 shuttle lines in the network, each with 2 to 4 cars
• The line 7 with 11 cars

IRT to 1940

The oldest car in the New York high - and underground railways date back to 1872, when 16 non-powered cars for the Ninth Avenue Line of the New York Elevated Railroad were delivered. This Manhattan Elevated or Manhattan standard were wooden four-axle passenger cars with open entrances at both ends, which were pulled by steam locomotives on the tracks. Since the elevated paths to the heavy weight of normal locomotives could not absorb the smaller tank engines were used. The wagons were shorter and were based on the width of her more like trams.

With the expansion of the four routes along the Second, Third, Sixth and Ninth Avenue Manhattan hundreds of other cars about the same type were added. The large number of different types in the early years can be explained by a number of smaller route extensions and lack of standardization. Also, would the beginning of the 20th century has no rail car manufacturer in the United States with the necessary capacity to be able to produce a large series for New York at once.

When the lines were electrified 1900-1903 by busbar, received a portion of the sidecar traction motors and cabs, and the steam locomotives accounted for. But otherwise changed as well as in all subsequent deliveries to designing the car basically nothing. It was not until 1923, the open platforms were closed at the ends and central door control introduced ( multiple-unit door control, MUDC ).

With engine and sidecar for the new subway, the IRT oriented to the specifications of previously acquired elevated railways. For security reasons, only vehicles should be used with car body from riveted steel. As the carriage builder at this time but could not provide the necessary capacity, one finally agreed on railcars with reinforced steel wood structure, Composites. After a couple of near disasters, it was clear that only steel vehicles would ensure safe operation in the tunnel. All subsequent series, starting with Gibbs and Roof Deck, now met these requirements. And the composites were only used from 1916 to the elevated trains.

Similarly, the elevated train were all subway cars initially only at the ends of the car body per a side entry door. But shortly after the opening of the first subway line turned out that they had grossly underestimated the number of passengers. So for all cars a third door in the middle of the car body was built from 1909. From the series Hedley then all vehicles were delivered with this configuration, which remained unchanged for many decades.

As in 1915 in the wake of double contracts the Steinway tunnel should be integrated into the underground operation, it faced a problem. Although the recent car would fit into the tubes, but the tunnel ramps on both sides of the East River would have been too steep, so that a vehicle with a gear reducer has been necessary for this range. This type was named after its application Steinway.

The Steinways brought even with a new feature, "LV" as the "Low Voltage", " V - Lo ( w )" or was known. This " low voltage car" had for the first time a separate electrical control system, which was supplied with 36 volt batteries. The technical advantages belonged especially the much better acceleration through the automatic switching of the speed steps, which made it possible to give from the get go "full throttle" to. All vehicles produced after 1915 were equipped with this low-voltage technology and were called according to LV. However, they were no longer compatible with the previous car park, which now received the surname HV for " High Voltage" or "high voltage" for distinction.

One exception was a production series called LV- AMRE, which is really only known by her nickname " Flivver " ( German literally " tin box "). As the composites in 1915 came on the elevated trains, one equipped them for reasons of weight with new, lighter bogies. The surplus now turn bogies with HV - drive and brakes one mounted under newly delivered car bodies. The electrical equipment is assumed, however, from the LV, so these cars could be operated with any of these other two types together. Added to this was the fact that at the Flivver trains during operation occurred unexplained technical problems if they were not always coupled only to very specific sets.

• Vehicles of the IRT

Low- V in the Transport Museum.

Interior of a Low -V.

After completion of the last sections of the dual contracts in the early 1920s no new acquisitions were initially recorded. Only for the planned additional trains for the New York World's Fair 1939 in Flushing Meadows Park was developed along with the Independent a new railcars. He pointed outward to some new features such as altered door arrangement and arched roof, but could be coupled simultaneously with the existing Steinways. This type of vehicle also bore the name of its locality, World's Fair.

BRT / BMT to 1940

The elevated railway wagons used by the BRT and its predecessor companies were similar to those of the IRT strong. Again came car with wooden body and open platforms at the end of the car used, which were converted in 1900 to electrical operation with power rail. The walk stretches of suburban railways towards the Atlantic coast knew you, however for safety reasons with the direction, so that the vehicles also received rod current collector for a continuous operation. In addition to the entrances treads were installed, because there were no high-level platforms outside the elevated trains.

When the BRT after 1900 it planned its first metro routes in the decade, she opted for a wider profile. The corresponding vehicle was the ten foot (3.05 m) wide and 67 feet ( 20.42 m) long type B. It was based on acceleration, ride comfort and superior capacity the vehicles of the elevated trains and the IRT far. The body consisted entirely of riveted steel, and the doors were evenly distributed over length of the vehicle and could be centrally controlled. Between 1914 and 1924 a total of 950 such vehicles were procured. Because of their high number of pieces they are to this day called "standards". In the workshops be held the nickname " Steels " ( " Steel "). The vehicles were from 1921 coupled to three-piece train set and converted to schaffner free operation.

In the 1920s, the BMT wanted to introduce on the old elevated railways higher driving comfort and modern technology. However, the standards too heavy and the curves would have been too tight, so that you then began the modernization of old elevated railway carriage on these routes. The first result of these efforts was the three-car train set of type C, which was next door central control also widened sill plates ( "Flower Board" ) so that it corresponded to the underground profile of the width forth. Same time, some high track sections were reconstructed by capping of the platform edges on this broader profile. Then a further 116 cars were rebuilt in a similar manner to type Q for the World Expo 1939. However, these were intended for use on the narrow -profile Flushing Line and required no " Attachments ", which they received in 1958 for use on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line.

In the long term, the BMT wanted to expand all their high rail lines on metro standard. This happened in the wake of double contracts already in some parts that were connected to the new tunnel. But still went there the elevated train car because the curves for the standards were too tight. As Malbone Street Wreck after the 1918 vehicles with wooden body no longer allowed to operate in underground tunnels, was developed especially for such routes of type D, a 120 -foot-long eight-axle double articulated railcar with car body made ​​of steel. This guy was the first destination signs on the front section above the windows.

• Vehicles of the BRT / BMT

BRT A / B standard.

BMT Q.

After it became apparent that the financial resources for the strengthening of the support structure at all high rail lines in the long run would not be sufficient, the BMT began developing lighter vehicles with wide profile and car bodies made ​​of sheet metal. After the testing of two prototypes, the Green Hornet and the Zephyr finally 25 five -piece articulated railcars were acquired MS type.

In 1938, a further double articulated railcar was tested, the compartment. It was based on the novel technology for PCC streetcars in whose development the tram subsidiary of BMT, the Brooklyn and Queens Transit Corporation was in charge. The BMT promised by transfer of this technology to the subway significant cost savings through synergies when servicing metro and trams. Because of its blue paint was nicknamed " Blue Bird ", "Blue Bird ".

The Association of Metro 1940, for the car park of the BMT Division primarily standardization for consistency. Except for the types A / B and D all vehicles were retired within 20 years. Only the type Q was still up to the closure of the last old elevated railway in 1969 in use.

IND to 1940

The Independent Subway developed their very own vehicles. They should have profile and technique of BMT standards, while possible, modern, functional, economical and above all be standardized. The cars had a length of 60 feet and six inches ( 18.44 m). A reduced number of seats and four double pocket sliding doors on each page should provide the highest possible capacity and rapid passenger. The length of the platforms was accordingly about 600 feet ( 182.88 m), equivalent to ten of these cars and at the same time three times three BMT BMT standards or five Ds.

The first series of 300 Solo railcar was placed under contract at American Car & Foundry R1 in order. By 1940, a total of 1,703 such cars under the Treaties R1, R4, R6, R7, R7A, and R9 were supplied by different companies, and they did not differ from a few mostly cosmetic changes from each other. This also R1 -9 -called first generation vehicles of Independent proved to be extremely reliable and remained until the 1970s in use. Key elements of the design and technology of these cars, especially the door assembly, still remained a long time and partly preserved until today.

• Vehicles of the Independent

R4 in the museum.

The importance of the 'R' in the type designations is no longer known and therefore attracts a lot of speculation by itself. The statement that the letter 'R' as an abbreviation for rolling stock ( German: rolling stock) would, it is most likely because most R- contracts have been buying from railcars, locomotives, motorcycles and special vehicles for the subject. Doubt on this theory are mainly attributed to the purchase of heavy workshop equipment under R - contracts. Subwayfreunde at least in NYC designate any case all vehicles R1 -R9 taken together as " Arnines ".

Vehicles from the period after 1940

2nd Generation Vehicles - 1940 to 1967

Following the unification of the New York subway in 1940, all new purchases were under the sign of the standardization of the fleet according to the specifications of the Independent. All vehicles delivered from now on should be related to coupling, door control, and control of drive and brake compatible. To date, a total of 18 narrow -profile and wide -profile 20 series of vehicles were delivered, initially only as a solo railcars.

The first representative of this new, second-generation vehicles was the R10, with some new features such as regenerative braking and neon lights kept inside the car collection. Furthermore from now on were four instead of two traction motors per car standard. In the IRT Division, this technique was first introduced to the types R12 and R14, where the vehicles were adapted to the narrower profile. The most important external feature of Division A was and is the opposite of the Division B by one reduced number of doors per side remained.

Although With each new acquisition was added in one way or another new feature, but basically the vehicles of the second generation differed little from each other. With the R15, for example, the arched roof was introduced. Inside evaded the previously used Rattan seats upholstery leatherette, which were in turn replaced later by hard plastic. Likewise, there were several changes to brakes, door mechanism, grab handles, lights and windows.

In 1959, the New York City Transit Authority ( NYCTA ) for the first time turned his attention to the principle of the double car, bringing let reduce weight and maintenance requirements because certain parts of the technical equipment needed to be available only in every second car. The first series of this type, R26/R28 and R27/R30/R30A, but still possessed in the middle of a conventional clutch so that vehicles with one another could be exchanged. This technical character was referred to derisively as " bigamy " or " Protestantism ". Only the R29 and all subsequent two-car units were associated with short coupling.

Another feature of the vehicles of the second generation was their very different coloring. The types R10, R12 and R14 were light gray / dark gray finish, the R15 burgundy with beige stripes and bordeaux R17 only. From R16 to R30 for all cars were then shipped in a dark olive green. The series R29, R33 and R36 were either " Main Line" (ML ) held in scarlet or as "World's Fair" (WF ) for trips to the 1964 World's Fair in light blue / light gray. And the first vehicles with car body made ​​of stainless steel, R32 and R38, shone so bright silvery that the nickname " Bright Liners " (cf. German " pieces of silver " ) received. After the incorporation of the New York subway in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA ), the vehicles were eventually / gradually repainted in accordance with corporate design in silver dark blue.

• Second-generation vehicles

In the course of time, different colorations were utilized, as in this case the R15.

Interior of a R17.

R36ML in blue / silver, the corporate colors of the MTA.

Trains run to the 1964 World's Fair were given a specific color scheme.

R33ML as " Redbird " on line 5

The type R16.

Vehicles of the 3rd Generation - 1968 to 1989

With the retirement of the last BMT standards and the first R1- car began from today's perspective, the transition to a third generation vehicles. They owned a car body made ​​of stainless steel with bulbous side wall, a new front made ​​of glass fiber reinforced plastic, panoramic windows and air conditioning as it was standard for a number of years in U.S. railroad companies. The destination signs moved from the front edge of the roof in the left front wheel. The series R40 and R42 may be regarded as the first typical representatives of this generation.

According to the plans of the MTA an entirely new generation of vehicles should be parallel to the Programme of Action in 1968 with the R44 and the R46 are introduced which should no longer be compatible with the car previously used. The vehicles were similar externally, although the R42, but were 75 feet ( 22.86 m) considerably longer than the previous 60-foot cars and each fixedly coupled to four-car sets, so that the total length of a unit train of a previous five- -car train corresponded. Both series came with then modern electronics for brakes, clutch, drive, air conditioning and door control. In addition, they were to use automatic train control ( Automatic Train Control, ATC) prepared, which should be used in the new Second Avenue Subway.

However, these new vehicles were preparing major problems. They were extremely unwieldy for maintenance and operation and provided longer residence times in the stations, because the length of a train doors were less than previously available. The electronics turned out to be unreliable. When R46 proved to be too weak mechanics designed, which expressed itself in broken bogies and high wear of the component parts.

These problems undergone a complete reversal of " modern technology " by itself. However, during the crisis of the 1970s was not to think of new purchases anyway. In the early 1980s, the financial margins grew again, first they turned to the poor state of preservation of the existing car. About 3,000 cars were overhauled and given next to air conditioning and various new parts, all red paint job that earned them the nickname " Redbirds " ( " Rotvögel "). The only new purchases from this period were the types R62 and R68, but still represented the state of the art of the R10 from 1948 to the compilation to complete sets. These vehicles were ordered from Bombardier and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and for the first time by manufacturers based outside the United States.

• Third-generation vehicles

The type R42.

The type R44 is significantly longer than its predecessors.

The type R62 came from Japan for the first time.

4th Generation Vehicles - 1990 to present

Only in the 1990s, the MTA again dared to vehicles approach with modern facilities. But now, any changes should be tested thoroughly in only two prototypes before production use. The first production vehicles this fourth generation subway cars, the types R142/R142A ( Division A ) and R143 ( Division B) were delivered from 1999 to 2004 and have full electronic control, AC drive and air suspension. Since spring 2005, the LZB counterpart Communication - Based Train Control ( CBTC ) is tested with the vehicles of the type R143 BMT Canarsie Line on which is to be used nationwide by 2050.

In order to replace the end of life that arrived in the new millennium vehicles of Division B of the type R32, R38, R40 and R42 ( model years 1964-1970 ), the MTA ordered in July 2002, a first series of 660 cars of the new type R160, the most part based on the type R143. The order was here (as a few years earlier with the type R142 ) turn awarded to two manufacturers, this time to Alstom (type R160A, 400 cars) as well as Kawasaki (Type R160B, 260 cars). Deliveries of the 660 ordered car began in 2006 and was completed in 2008. On August 17, 2006 was a wagon train of the type R160 in regular service on the line N in use for the first time. Even during the ongoing delivery of this first series, the MTA ordered in July 2007, a further 620 cars of the type R160. , And so increased the number of firm orders R160 to 1,280 cars. These 620 cars were in December 2008 in the delivery, with around 150 cars had been delivered. As part of the 2008-2013 Capital Program, the MTA in 2008 was planning to order 382 additional cars of the type R160. In addition, 208 cars of the type R179 should be ordered, which is technically identical to the type R160, but 75 feet long and is thus intended as a replacement for the 75 -foot-long car type R44. More 64 new cars are planned for the Staten Iceland Railway, which is currently served with modified cars of type R44. If provided for in the Capital Program order, the number of delivered 2006-2013 car would add up to a total of 1,934. This represents about 31 percent of the current fleet of New York Subway and around 57 percent of the current fleet of B. In return Division 1,900 old cars of the type R32 would be retired by R44. From 2013, the then 35 to 38 -year-old 754 cars of the type R46 would be present by new vehicles to replace, so that a continuation of the bulk orders can be expected.

• The fourth generation vehicles

The type R160.

Interior of the type R142A.

Line use of the vehicles

Each line of the New York Subway is typically operated by a vehicle type or of largely identical vehicle types (eg, R143 and R160 ). Currently there are by the growing number of new vehicles of the type R160 and the associated phasing and implementation of end to other lines but same number of lines in Division B that are served by different types of vehicles at the same time. On the narrow profiles of the Division A ( lines 1-7 ), only the types R62 and R142 are used. On the broad profiles of the Division B ( lines A to Z), however, are currently a total of seven model series in the service. The latest vehicles of the type R160 run it on the lines J / Z, L and M (both 8- car trains ), and E, F, N, Q, R and W (each 10 - car trains ).

That are presently still held the old car type R32 and R42 operate on lines C, J / Z and V.