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R36 World's Fair (New York City Subway car)
Encyclopedia
The R36 World's Fair New York City Subway
cars were built in 1963-1964 by the St. Louis Car Company
in St. Louis, Missouri
for the IRT
division (also known as the A Division
). They were purchased for service on the IRT Flushing Line
( trains) which was the closest line to the 1964 New York World's Fair
. These were the last entirely LAHT bodied (non-stainless) cars built for the New York City Subway.
(NYCTA) ordered 430 cars for the train. This route would run to the World's Fair grounds in Flushing Meadows
in Queens
. The first 40 cars were singles (R33 World's Fair
), with the rest R36 cars. (Single cars were needed since the service runs 11-car trains, and R36's were only pairs.) The cars were painted in a light blue turquoise
"Bluebird" scheme (see "Paint Schemes" below) and with large picture windows unlike other IRT
cars. Thirty-four R36
s were built at the same time for the IRT Main Line and had small drop sash windows.
The first R36 cars (9558-9561) arrived in fall 1963, shortly after the R33 WF's began arriving in September. With the fair opening approaching on April 12, 1964, R36 cars were built and delivered in larger quantities that Fall. More cars arrived throughout 1964, enough to displace the R12
, R14
and R15
on the service by the close of 1964.
. Most cars had their original paint covered up by then or were given a new white "anti-graffiti" covering by 1982. By 1984 all cars had received air conditioning as part of a retrofitting program.
in Buffalo, New York
and by Amtrak
at its Beech Grove, Indiana
and Wilmington, Delaware
shops. The last remaining cars were sent out for rebuild in late 1985 and by 1986 all cars were back in service.
and was a graffiti resistant red. By 1989, the Gunn Red would evolve into the Redbird scheme best known to many New Yorkers, with beige interiors, red exterior paint and interior doors and black and silver exterior trim along the car windows, roof and undersides.
In 1999, the R36 cars were the most reliable in the NYCT fleet, with a Mean Distance Between Failure (MDBF) rate of 194,150 miles, despite being 35 years old at the time. While in decent shape mechanically, rust holes were beginning to form in the sides of most of the cars.
In the 1990s and until mid 2001, cars 9478-9523 usually ran on the train based at Westchester Yard in the Bronx. Previously, some Westinghouse R36 WFs had been assigned to the and trains in the 1970s.
, R28
, R29
, R33
and R36
— would be replaced by modern R142
and R142A
cars.
While the Redbirds on the IRT Main Line were beginning to be retired starting in early 2001, the service was all Redbird until January 2002. That month, a set of R62A
's arrived from the IRT Main Line. As more R142 sets were delivered, the and services would give up their R62A's to the , replacing R36s. R36 units were still plentiful in 2002, since R142 delivery was slow that year.
By mid-2003 Redbird sets were dwindling on the service. Only a few sets were running by fall. The last Redbird train ran along the on November 3, 2003, marking the retirement of the Redbird cars and the end of non stainless steel cars in the subway.
Most of the Redbirds (1,294) were submerged off the coast of Delaware
, New Jersey
, South Carolina
, Georgia
and Virginia
as artificial barrier and diving reef
s.
Since then, some of the remaining R36s have been converted for work service. One pair (9564-65) was transferred to Coney Island in December 2004 for conversion of 9565 to a visitor center at Queens Borough Hall
in Kew Gardens, Queens
, but R33 ML 9075 was used instead. 9564-65 were subsequently reefed in 2008.
colors on October 24, 2000 prior to Game 3 of the 2000 World Series
between the Yankees and Mets.
In addition, the R36 cars have made cameo roles in various TV shows and movies. They appear in several scenes in Spider-Man
(2002), on The King of Queens
and the opening credits of "NYPD Blue
". Nicolas Cage
rides the 7 in It Could Happen to You
(1994). In the 1988 movie Cocktail, Tom Cruise
gets off R36 9700 at Vernon-Jackson station. In Willard
, Willard is seen boarding a Redbird.
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 were built in 1963-1964 by the St. Louis Car Company
St. Louis Car Company
The St. Louis Car Company was a major United States manufacturer of railroad passenger cars, streetcars, trolleybuses and locomotives that existed from 1887–1973, based in St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
for the IRT
Interborough Rapid Transit Company
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company was the private operator of the original underground New York City Subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the City in June 1940...
division (also known as the A Division
A 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...
). They were purchased for service on the IRT Flushing Line
IRT Flushing Line
The Flushing Line is a rapid transit route of the New York City Subway system, operated as part of the IRT Division and designated the 7 route...
( trains) which was the closest line to the 1964 New York World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
. These were the last entirely LAHT bodied (non-stainless) cars built for the New York City Subway.
Early history
In 1962, the New York City Transit AuthorityNew 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...
(NYCTA) ordered 430 cars for the train. This route would run to the World's Fair grounds in Flushing Meadows
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, often referred to as Flushing Meadow Park, Flushing Meadows Park or Flushing Meadows, is a public park in New York City. It contains the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the current venue for the U.S...
in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. The first 40 cars were singles (R33 World's Fair
R33 World's Fair (New York City Subway car)
The R33 World's Fair is a class of 40 single cars for the New York City Subway car built in late 1963. They were made for the "A" Division, but only assigned to the service and were based out of Corona Yard. They were used to make 11-car trains with the R36 WF cars, which were built as two-car...
), with the rest R36 cars. (Single cars were needed since the service runs 11-car trains, and R36's were only pairs.) The cars were painted in a light blue turquoise
Turquoise (color)
Turquoise or is a slightly blueish tone of light green. The color is based on the gem turquoise. The term comes from the French for Turkish.At right is displayed the X11 color named turquoise....
"Bluebird" scheme (see "Paint Schemes" below) and with large picture windows unlike other IRT
Interborough Rapid Transit Company
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company was the private operator of the original underground New York City Subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the City in June 1940...
cars. Thirty-four R36
R36 (New York City Subway car)
The R36 was a class of New York City Subway cars built in 1964 by the St. Louis Car Company, St. Louis, Missouri for the IRT division...
s were built at the same time for the IRT Main Line and had small drop sash windows.
The first R36 cars (9558-9561) arrived in fall 1963, shortly after the R33 WF's began arriving in September. With the fair opening approaching on April 12, 1964, R36 cars were built and delivered in larger quantities that Fall. More cars arrived throughout 1964, enough to displace the R12
R12 (New York City Subway car)
The R12 was a New York City Subway car, the first city-owned rolling stock for the IRT division. Built by American Car and Foundry Company in 1948, these cars were very similar to the R10s, except the R12 was smaller...
, R14
R14 (New York City Subway car)
The R14 was a New York City Subway car built in 1949 by the American Car and Foundry Company. They were a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for the "A" Division's R12s and look exactly same, except for a different floor pattern...
and R15
R15 (New York City Subway car)
The R15 was a New York City Subway car built in 1950. Built by American Car and Foundry Company, these cars were somewhat similar to the R12/14 cars. These cars were the first to feature round roofs, porthole door windows, and conductors door operating apparatus controls located inside the...
on the service by the close of 1964.
The 1970s
Through the 1970s the R36s were the mainstay of the service. The cars kept their original paint until 1972, when some were repainted in the new "Silver & Blue" scheme. Around 1975-78, the entire subway system was being covered in graffitiGraffiti
Graffiti is the name for images or lettering scratched, scrawled, painted or marked in any manner on property....
. Most cars had their original paint covered up by then or were given a new white "anti-graffiti" covering by 1982. By 1984 all cars had received air conditioning as part of a retrofitting program.
The GOH program and rebuilding
The R36 were the first cars to be rebuilt in the NYCTA's General Overhaul Program (GOH) in the 1980s. This program improved car life by rebuilding older cars and keeping other cars in a state of good repair. A trial rebuild program was done on selected Westinghouse R36 cars in 1981-83. Beginning in late 1984, the other R36 cars were rebuilt at rate of 200 cars per year, with the majority of them done in-house at the Coney Island Shop. Others were rebuilt by General ElectricGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and by Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
at its Beech Grove, Indiana
Beech Grove, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,880 people, 6,085 households, and 3,839 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,462.5 people per square mile . There were 6,506 housing units at an average density of 1,513.9 per square mile...
and Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
shops. The last remaining cars were sent out for rebuild in late 1985 and by 1986 all cars were back in service.
Late 1980s and 1990s
After rebuilding, the service's R36 cars were repainted in a red scheme prior to returning to service. At first the scheme was known as "Silver Fox" or "Gunn Red" after NYCT chief David L. GunnDavid L. Gunn
David L. Gunn is a transportation system administrator who has headed several significant railroads and transit systems in North America....
and was a graffiti resistant red. By 1989, the Gunn Red would evolve into the Redbird scheme best known to many New Yorkers, with beige interiors, red exterior paint and interior doors and black and silver exterior trim along the car windows, roof and undersides.
In 1999, the R36 cars were the most reliable in the NYCT fleet, with a Mean Distance Between Failure (MDBF) rate of 194,150 miles, despite being 35 years old at the time. While in decent shape mechanically, rust holes were beginning to form in the sides of most of the cars.
In the 1990s and until mid 2001, cars 9478-9523 usually ran on the train based at Westchester Yard in the Bronx. Previously, some Westinghouse R36 WFs had been assigned to the and trains in the 1970s.
Phasing out
In 1998, New York City Transit announced that it would phase out its Redbird cars. The Redbirds — R26R26 (New York City Subway car)
The R26 was a New York City Subway car built in 1959 by American Car and Foundry . They were made for the IRT and were the first cars to be built in married pairs, which consists of two cars coupled together at the non-operating end...
, R28
R28 (New York City Subway car)
The R28 was a New York City Subway car built in 1960-61 by American Car and Foundry . They were a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for the "A" Division's R26s and closely resemble. They operated on the IRT in married pairs. The R28 cars were rebuilt during 1985-87 into Redbirds by Morrison...
, R29
R29 (New York City Subway car)
The R29 was a New York City Subway car built in 1962 by the St. Louis Car Company for the IRT division . They have very similar appearances to the R26 and 28 cars with the exceptions that they were built by a different company and permanently paired with link bars, not couplers...
, R33
R33 (New York City Subway car)
The R33 ML was a New York City Subway car built by St. Louis Car Company in 1962–63. They were a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for the "A" Division's R29s and closely resemble them. Five hundred cars were built, serving on all IRT subway lines. They were rebuilt between 1986–1991...
and R36
R36 (New York City Subway car)
The R36 was a class of New York City Subway cars built in 1964 by the St. Louis Car Company, St. Louis, Missouri for the IRT division...
— would be replaced by modern R142
R142 (New York City Subway car)
The R142 is the model class of the newest generation of IRT cars for the New York City Subway. Built by Bombardier in Plattsburgh, New York and Barre, Vermont from 1999–2002, the fleet, along with the R142A, are the new backbone of the IRT fleet....
and 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...
cars.
While the Redbirds on the IRT Main Line were beginning to be retired starting in early 2001, the service was all Redbird until January 2002. That month, a set of R62A
R62A (New York City Subway car)
R62A is a series of New York City Subway cars, built by Bombardier in Montreal, Quebec, with final assembly done in Barre, Vermont.-Description:...
's arrived from the IRT Main Line. As more R142 sets were delivered, the and services would give up their R62A's to the , replacing R36s. R36 units were still plentiful in 2002, since R142 delivery was slow that year.
By mid-2003 Redbird sets were dwindling on the service. Only a few sets were running by fall. The last Redbird train ran along the on November 3, 2003, marking the retirement of the Redbird cars and the end of non stainless steel cars in the subway.
Most of the Redbirds (1,294) were submerged off the coast of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
as artificial barrier and diving reef
Artificial reef
An artificial reef is a human-made underwater structure, typically built to promote marine life in areas with a generally featureless bottom, control erosion, block ship passage, or improve surfing....
s.
Since then, some of the remaining R36s have been converted for work service. One pair (9564-65) was transferred to Coney Island in December 2004 for conversion of 9565 to a visitor center at Queens Borough Hall
Queens Borough Hall
Queens Borough Hall is a public building in the Kew Gardens neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City which houses the Office of the Queens Borough President and other city offices and court space. It is located in the Kew Gardens municipal stretch bounded by Queens Boulevard and Union...
in Kew Gardens, Queens
Kew Gardens, Queens
Kew Gardens is a triangular-shaped neighborhood in central Queens bounded to the north by the Jackie Robinson Parkway , to the east by Van Wyck Expressway and 131st Street, to the south by Hillside Avenue, and to the west by Park Lane, Abingdon Road and 118th Street...
, but R33 ML 9075 was used instead. 9564-65 were subsequently reefed in 2008.
The R36 in media and culture
Eight WH cars (9356-57, 9360-61, 9394-95, 9412-13) and two GE cars (9712-13) in addition to one R33 WF (9327) were wrapped and painted in New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
colors on October 24, 2000 prior to Game 3 of the 2000 World Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
between the Yankees and Mets.
In addition, the R36 cars have made cameo roles in various TV shows and movies. They appear in several scenes in Spider-Man
Spider-Man (film)
Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film, the first in the Spider-Man film series based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It was directed by Sam Raimi and written by David Koepp...
(2002), on The King of Queens
The King of Queens
The King of Queens is an American sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 21, 1998, to May 14, 2007.This show was produced by Hanley Productions and CBS Productions , CBS Paramount Television ,and CBS Television Studios in association with Columbia TriStar Television , and Sony Pictures...
and the opening credits of "NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
". Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
rides the 7 in It Could Happen to You
It Could Happen to You (film)
It Could Happen to You is a 1994 romantic comedy-drama film starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. It is the story of New York City police officer who wins the lottery and splits his winnings with a waitress . The movie bears a striking resemblance to an actual event as documented by Snopes...
(1994). In the 1988 movie Cocktail, Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
gets off R36 9700 at Vernon-Jackson station. In Willard
Willard (2003 film)
Willard is a 2003 horror film loosely based on the novel Ratman's Notebooks by Stephen Gilbert and a remake of the 1971 film of the same name...
, Willard is seen boarding a Redbird.
Paint schemes
The R36 cars have worn many paint schemes since 1964.- World's Fair Light Blue "Bluebird" (TurquoiseTurquoiseTurquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium, with the chemical formula CuAl648·4. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue...
blue) (1964-1982) - NYCTA/MTA Silver & Blue (1971-1982 - selected units only)
- Plain White (1982-1988)
- Red, nickname: "RedbirdsRedbird trainsRedbird is the name given to 1,410 New York City Subway cars of the following types: R26, R28, R29, R33 Main Line , R33 World's Fair , R36 ML, and R36 WF. These cars were painted a deep red to combat graffiti, which had become a major problem In the late 1970s and early 1980s. The deep red color...
" (1985-2003)
Route assignment history
(1964-2003), (1976-84) – cars 9504-9523, (1988-2001) – cars 9478-9523- Note: Some 9558-9769-series R36s were assigned to the Main Line 1982-91 during the GOH/rebuild program period to fill in for mainline cars sent out for rebuilding.