C-type (New York City Subway car)
Encyclopedia
The C-type of New York City Subway
cars was a series of elevated cars, rebuilt in the shops of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company in 1923–1925 from former BU cars. Each C-type unit contained 3 cars semi-permanently coupled to form an operating unit. Each unit consisted of a relatively modern steel-framed motor car at each end, originally built in 1903 (former 1200 series car) or 1907 (former 1400 series car) and a steam-era trailer car in the middle, originally built in 1893 (former 100 series car).
The conversion was done in order to create a fleet of elevated cars with automatic door controls capable of operating on the BMT Fulton Street Line, whose station platforms had been redone to accommodate 10 feet (3 m)-wide equipment instead of the standard 8 in 9 in (2.67 m)-wide elevated cars. The gates and platforms at the ends of each three-car unit were enclosed and a motorman
's cab placed in each.
The interior gates and platforms of individual cars were removed, and passageways were created between the cars in each unit so passengers could walk from car to car without going outside. Two doorways were cut into each side of each car of the unit, and outside-hung sliding doors were attached to the cars. Despite the C-type's general appearance and the passageways between cars, they were not articulated units, since each car of the unit could stand alone on its own two trucks, while articulated units share trucks underneath the inter-car passageway.
The prototype
s of the C-type units, created in 1923, presented a fairly neat appearance, but the production cars created in 1925, with their varying roof heights, floor extensions to reach the platforms, and roof extensions to contain the hangers for the sliding doors presented such an ungainly appearance that they have been popularly characterized as the ugliest equipment ever to run on the New York City subway system.
Despite criticism, many of the C-types remained in passenger service until 1956, when the last original portions of the Fulton Street elevated were abandoned and later demolished. No examples of this car survive.
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
cars was a series of elevated cars, rebuilt in the shops of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Brooklyn Rapid Transit
The Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company was a public transit holding company formed in 1896 to acquire and consolidate lines in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It was a prominent corporation and industry leader using the single-letter symbol B on the New York Stock Exchange...
Company in 1923–1925 from former BU cars. Each C-type unit contained 3 cars semi-permanently coupled to form an operating unit. Each unit consisted of a relatively modern steel-framed motor car at each end, originally built in 1903 (former 1200 series car) or 1907 (former 1400 series car) and a steam-era trailer car in the middle, originally built in 1893 (former 100 series car).
The conversion was done in order to create a fleet of elevated cars with automatic door controls capable of operating on the BMT Fulton Street Line, whose station platforms had been redone to accommodate 10 feet (3 m)-wide equipment instead of the standard 8 in 9 in (2.67 m)-wide elevated cars. The gates and platforms at the ends of each three-car unit were enclosed and a motorman
Motorman
A motorman is the person who operates an electrified trolley car, tram, light rail, or rapid transit train.The term refers to the person who is in charge of the motor in the same sense as a railroad engineer is in charge of the engine. The term was gender-neutral...
's cab placed in each.
The interior gates and platforms of individual cars were removed, and passageways were created between the cars in each unit so passengers could walk from car to car without going outside. Two doorways were cut into each side of each car of the unit, and outside-hung sliding doors were attached to the cars. Despite the C-type's general appearance and the passageways between cars, they were not articulated units, since each car of the unit could stand alone on its own two trucks, while articulated units share trucks underneath the inter-car passageway.
The prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s of the C-type units, created in 1923, presented a fairly neat appearance, but the production cars created in 1925, with their varying roof heights, floor extensions to reach the platforms, and roof extensions to contain the hangers for the sliding doors presented such an ungainly appearance that they have been popularly characterized as the ugliest equipment ever to run on the New York City subway system.
Despite criticism, many of the C-types remained in passenger service until 1956, when the last original portions of the Fulton Street elevated were abandoned and later demolished. No examples of this car survive.
C-Type Specifications
- Car Builder: Brooklyn Rapid TransitBrooklyn Rapid TransitThe Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company was a public transit holding company formed in 1896 to acquire and consolidate lines in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It was a prominent corporation and industry leader using the single-letter symbol B on the New York Stock Exchange...
Company, from existing cars - Car Body: (Motorized end cars) steel underframe, upright body members, and motorman's cab, remainder wood and canvas.
- Car Body: (Trailer center cars) substantially wood construction with steel hardware and turnbuckleTurnbuckleA turnbuckle, stretching screw or bottlescrew is a device for adjusting the tension or length of ropes, cables, tie rods, and other tensioning systems. It normally consists of two threaded eyelets, one screwed into each end of a small metal frame, one with a left-hand thread and the other with a...
s. - Unit Numbers: 1500-1529 A-B-C
- Fleet: 90 cars assembled into 30 units
- Car Length: 137 feet (41.8 m) over the extreme ends of each unit
- Car Width: 8 in 9 in (2.67 m), but ~10 feet with roof and floor extension to reach platforms without creating a gap.
- Car Height: varied, approximately 10 in 5 in (3.18 m)
- Track Gauge: 4 feet (1.2 m), 8½ inches
- Propulsion System: WH USG251-1-3
- Motors: WH 300, WH 50L
- Power: 200 HP, 150 HP
- Total Seating: 46 (A and C cars), 44 (B car)
- Total Weight: 76,970 lbs (A and C cars), 43,170 lbs (B car)