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R143 (New York City Subway car)
Encyclopedia
The R143 is a standard gauge
subway car design used on the B Division of the New York City Subway
in the United States
. The cars are primarily used on the L service. The New York City Transit Authority
owns 212 R143 cars, numbered 8101 to 8312, and built for an average cost of about $1.5 million per car.
's R142A
, which Kawasaki also built, and incorporated many features from the R110B
prototype. Delivery began in late 2001, and a 30-day test with one train of eight cars began on December 4, 2001. According to Kawasaki, the test was "extremely successful".
R143s began running on the BMT Canarsie Line
(L
train) on February 12, 2002, and all 212 cars were delivered to the subway by March 2003. In addition to the L, where the R143s displaced the R40
/R40M
s and most of the R42
s, they also displaced the R42s on the M
weekend shuttle service on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
. The R143s on that line were replaced by R160As in February 2008. One Person Train Operation
was tested on the L during mid-2005..
Eight R143s numbered 8205-8212 were retrofitted with experimental Siemens traction motors to test the traction motors that would be found in some of the R160B cars. These cars were eventually refitted traction motors found in all other R143s.
The 212 cars delivered were expected to provide enough service for years, but the fast growth of Williamsburg, Brooklyn
overloaded the L by mid-2006.
On June 21, 2006, an eight-car R143 train overshot the bumper at the end of the tracks in the Canarsie Yard after the operator suffered a seizure. Lead car #8277 suffered significant damage and has been stripped of damaged parts for repair. It is currently at the Kawasaki plant in Yonkers while the rest of the set (8278-8280) is at the 207th Street Yard. It is not known when these cars will return to service.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
subway car design used on the B Division of the New York City Subway
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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The cars are primarily used on the L service. The New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
owns 212 R143 cars, numbered 8101 to 8312, and built for an average cost of about $1.5 million per car.
History
Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. was awarded a $190 million contract for 100 new B Division cars in late December 1998, with an option for as many as 112 more. The new design was based on the A DivisionA Division (New York City Subway)
The A Division, also known as the IRT Division, is a division of the New York City Subway, consisting of the lines operated with services designated by numbers and the 42nd Street Shuttle. These lines and services were operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company before the 1940 city takeover...
's R142A
R142A (New York City Subway car)
The R142A, along with the R142 is the newest generation of cars for the A Division of the New York City Subway.-Background:The R142A is built by Kawasaki and has many of the same features as the R142, built by Bombardier. The main order of 400 R142A cars are numbered 7211-7610; the 120 option cars...
, which Kawasaki also built, and incorporated many features from the R110B
R110B (New York City Subway car)
R110B was a class of New York City Subway cars built by Bombardier of Canada for service on the IND and BMT lines. The R110B prototype cars were delivered to the New York City Transit Authority and entered service in 1992...
prototype. Delivery began in late 2001, and a 30-day test with one train of eight cars began on December 4, 2001. According to Kawasaki, the test was "extremely successful".
R143s began running on the BMT Canarsie Line
BMT Canarsie Line
The Canarsie Line is a rapid transit line of the BMT Division of the New York City Subway system, named after its terminus in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn...
(L
L (New York City Subway service)
The L 14th Street – Canarsie Local is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway, providing service along the entire length of the two-tracked BMT Canarsie Line...
train) on February 12, 2002, and all 212 cars were delivered to the subway by March 2003. In addition to the L, where the R143s displaced the R40
R40 (New York City Subway car)
The R40 was a New York City Subway car built between 1967 and 1969 by the St. Louis Car Company in St. Louis, Missouri, serving the B Division.-About:...
/R40M
R40A (New York City Subway car)
The R40A was a New York City Subway car order built by St. Louis Car Company between 1968 and 1969. The order contained two forms: a slant-ended version that was similar to the original R40 order , and a straight-ended version similar to the R42 order...
s and most of the R42
R42 (New York City Subway car)
The R42 is a New York City Subway car built between 1969 and 1970 by the St. Louis Car Company in St. Louis, Missouri, serving the B Division. This fleet of cars were the first to be fully equipped with air conditioning. The R42 fleet is numbered 4550-4949...
s, they also displaced the R42s on the M
M (New York City Subway service)
The M Sixth Avenue Local is a rapid transit service of the B Division of the New York City Subway. It is colored orange on route signs, station signs, and the official subway map, since it runs on the IND Sixth Avenue Line in Manhattan....
weekend shuttle service on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
The Myrtle Avenue Line, also called the Myrtle Avenue Elevated, is a fully elevated line of the New York City Subway as part of the BMT division. The extant line is the final remnant of one of the original Brooklyn elevated railroads...
. The R143s on that line were replaced by R160As in February 2008. One Person Train Operation
One Person Train Operation
One-man operation , driver-only operation or one person operation is a method of train or bus operation in which the vehicle is operated by the motorman or driver alone without a conductor.-Japan:...
was tested on the L during mid-2005..
Eight R143s numbered 8205-8212 were retrofitted with experimental Siemens traction motors to test the traction motors that would be found in some of the R160B cars. These cars were eventually refitted traction motors found in all other R143s.
The 212 cars delivered were expected to provide enough service for years, but the fast growth of Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Williamsburg is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, bordering Greenpoint to the north, Bedford-Stuyvesant to the south, Bushwick to the east and the East River to the west. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 1. The neighborhood is served by the NYPD's 90th ...
overloaded the L by mid-2006.
On June 21, 2006, an eight-car R143 train overshot the bumper at the end of the tracks in the Canarsie Yard after the operator suffered a seizure. Lead car #8277 suffered significant damage and has been stripped of damaged parts for repair. It is currently at the Kawasaki plant in Yonkers while the rest of the set (8278-8280) is at the 207th Street Yard. It is not known when these cars will return to service.