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R40A (New York City Subway car)
Encyclopedia
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 (sometimes referred to as the R40 Slant), and a straight-ended (or "modified") version similar to the R42
order (sometimes referred to as the R40M). Both nicknames were not official designations.
The R40As were originally delivered with air conditioning
units. As a result of the air conditioning, the standee poles were arranged in a diagonal pattern rather than the straight-line pattern seen in the R40.
The slant-ended cars were numbered 4350–4449 (originally numbered as 4450–4549 until 1970) while the straight-ended cars were numbered 4450–4549 (originally 4250–4349, again until 1970). The straight-end cars were redesigned by Sundberg-Ferar
. Due to the cosmetic and mechanical similarities the R40Ms and R42s shared, the two fleets often ran together. R40A car 4460 was mated to R42 car 4665, as the mates of both cars were damaged in the Williamsburg Bridge
wreck of 1995. This pair is currently at the Avenue X Yard for possible preservation.
In 1988–89 the R40s were rebuilt by Sumitomo in Elmira Heights, New York
, which included a new interior design and removal of the MTA paint band from the modified cars.
The R160
order has replaced all of the R40A fleet. The last slanted train (consisting of R40A #4414–4415, 4424–4425, 4432–4433, 4398–4399, and R40 4256–4257) made its final trip on the train on June 12, 2009 and the last modified pair (4484–4485) followed on the on August 28 as a consist with eight R42s. Cars 4480–4481 have been preserved for the New York Transit Museum
while cars 4392–4393 and 4442–4443 have been assigned to school training and are respectively at the Rockaway Park Yard and Concourse Yard.
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...
car order built by 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:...
between 1968 and 1969. The order contained two forms: a slant-ended version that was similar to the original 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:...
order (sometimes referred to as the R40 Slant), and a straight-ended (or "modified") version similar to 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...
order (sometimes referred to as the R40M). Both nicknames were not official designations.
The R40As were originally delivered with air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
units. As a result of the air conditioning, the standee poles were arranged in a diagonal pattern rather than the straight-line pattern seen in the R40.
The slant-ended cars were numbered 4350–4449 (originally numbered as 4450–4549 until 1970) while the straight-ended cars were numbered 4450–4549 (originally 4250–4349, again until 1970). The straight-end cars were redesigned by Sundberg-Ferar
Sundberg-Ferar
Sundberg-Ferar is an industrial design consultancy headquartered in Walled Lake, Michigan. Founded in 1934 by partners Carl Sundberg and Montgomery Ferar , the company was among the first industrial design firms to be established in the U.S.Sundberg-Ferar employs approximately 20 employees in the...
. Due to the cosmetic and mechanical similarities the R40Ms and R42s shared, the two fleets often ran together. R40A car 4460 was mated to R42 car 4665, as the mates of both cars were damaged in the Williamsburg Bridge
Williamsburg Bridge
The Williamsburg Bridge is a suspension bridge in New York City across the East River connecting the Lower East Side of Manhattan at Delancey Street with the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn at Broadway near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway...
wreck of 1995. This pair is currently at the Avenue X Yard for possible preservation.
In 1988–89 the R40s were rebuilt by Sumitomo in Elmira Heights, New York
Elmira Heights, New York
Elmira Heights is a village in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 4,170 at the 2000 census.The Village of Elmira Heights is primarily within the Town of Elmira, but part of the village is in the Town of Horseheads. The village is a northern suburb of the City of Elmira...
, which included a new interior design and removal of the MTA paint band from the modified cars.
The R160
R160 (New York City Subway car)
The R160 is a class of 1,662 New York City Subway cars built by two different companies: Alstom Transportation and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The class was built by two manufacturers, so they are designated as "R160A" and "R160B"...
order has replaced all of the R40A fleet. The last slanted train (consisting of R40A #4414–4415, 4424–4425, 4432–4433, 4398–4399, and R40 4256–4257) made its final trip on the train on June 12, 2009 and the last modified pair (4484–4485) followed on the on August 28 as a consist with eight R42s. Cars 4480–4481 have been preserved for the New York Transit Museum
New York Transit Museum
The New York Transit Museum is a museum which displays historical artifacts of the New York City Subway, bus, commuter rail, and bridge and tunnel systems; it is located in a decommissioned Court Street subway station in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of New York City...
while cars 4392–4393 and 4442–4443 have been assigned to school training and are respectively at the Rockaway Park Yard and Concourse Yard.