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R42 (New York City Subway car)
Encyclopedia
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
(IND
/BMT) Division. This fleet of cars were the first to be fully equipped with air conditioning
. The R42 fleet is numbered 4550-4949. It was the last 60 feet (18.3 m) B Division car built for the subway until the R143
in 2001, and the last model class to be built in married pairs. Thereafter, the New York City Transit Authority
(NYCTA), for the time being, switched to 75 feet (22.9 m) cars for the B Division.
On May 9, 1969, pair 4554-4555 entered service on the N
train as part of a mixed consist.
Between 1988 and 1989, R42s underwent overhaul as a result of deferred maintenance in the New York City Subway during the 1970s and the 1980s. 282 cars (4550–4839) were overhauled by Morrisen-Knudsen while the last 110 cars (4840–4949) were rebuilt in-house by the Coney Island Overhaul Shop in Brooklyn
. The one minor difference in appearance between the two overhauls was that many cars of the Coney Island version featured the original blue door indicator lights at the ends of the cars, whereas these lights were removed from the Morrison-Knudsen rebuilds.
Pairs 4680-4681, 4714-4715, and 4766-4767 were scrapped in 1984. On June 6, 1995 pair 4664-4665 were involved in a collision on the Williamsburg Bridge
. Car 4664 was scrapped in 2000 (with cars 4685 and 4726, which were not involved in the accident) while 4665 was mated with R40M 4460, which lost its mate in the same accident. On November 6, 2007, an M train of R42s was involved in an accident when the motorman attempted to relay it south of the Chambers Street station. As the R42 fleet is currently being retired, the entire consist was hauled to 207th Street Yard for reefing instead of being repaired even though only the first two cars suffered major damage.
As of 2010, pair 4572-73 is preserved for the NYCTA Museum. This set was used in the famous chase scene in the film The French Connection
. Pair 4736-37 was donated to East New York's Transit Tech High School
on April 14, 2009, replacing R30
#8337, which was reefed a few months later. Pair 4460-4665 is located at the Coney Island Complex.
The R160
order was intended to replace all of the R42 fleet, but this has been halted due to structural issues found on the R44
fleet. All R42s except for cars 4788-4817 and 4822-4839, which are assigned to East New York Yard and run on the J and Z services, have been retired and most were reefed along the Atlantic coast.
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 built between 1969 and 1970 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...
, serving the B
B Division (New York City Subway)
The B Division is a division of the New York City Subway, consisting of the lines operated with services designated by letters , in addition to the Franklin Avenue Shuttle and Rockaway Park Shuttle...
(IND
Independent Subway System
The Independent Subway System , formerly known as the Independent City-Owned Subway System or the Independent City-Owned Rapid Transit Railroad, was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway...
/BMT) Division. This fleet of cars were the first to be fully equipped 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...
. The R42 fleet is numbered 4550-4949. It was the last 60 feet (18.3 m) B Division car built for the subway until the R143
R143 (New York City Subway car)
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...
in 2001, and the last model class to be built in married pairs. Thereafter, 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...
(NYCTA), for the time being, switched to 75 feet (22.9 m) cars for the B Division.
On May 9, 1969, pair 4554-4555 entered service on the N
N (New York City Subway service)
The N Broadway Local is a service of the New York City Subway. Its route bullet is colored yellow, which appears on station signs and the NYC Subway map, as it represents a service provided on the BMT Broadway Line through Manhattan....
train as part of a mixed consist.
Between 1988 and 1989, R42s underwent overhaul as a result of deferred maintenance in the New York City Subway during the 1970s and the 1980s. 282 cars (4550–4839) were overhauled by Morrisen-Knudsen while the last 110 cars (4840–4949) were rebuilt in-house by the Coney Island Overhaul Shop in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. The one minor difference in appearance between the two overhauls was that many cars of the Coney Island version featured the original blue door indicator lights at the ends of the cars, whereas these lights were removed from the Morrison-Knudsen rebuilds.
Pairs 4680-4681, 4714-4715, and 4766-4767 were scrapped in 1984. On June 6, 1995 pair 4664-4665 were involved in a collision on 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...
. Car 4664 was scrapped in 2000 (with cars 4685 and 4726, which were not involved in the accident) while 4665 was mated with R40M 4460, which lost its mate in the same accident. On November 6, 2007, an M train of R42s was involved in an accident when the motorman attempted to relay it south of the Chambers Street station. As the R42 fleet is currently being retired, the entire consist was hauled to 207th Street Yard for reefing instead of being repaired even though only the first two cars suffered major damage.
As of 2010, pair 4572-73 is preserved for the NYCTA Museum. This set was used in the famous chase scene in the film The French Connection
The French Connection (film)
This article is about the 1971 film. For the British fashion label, see French Connection .The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore...
. Pair 4736-37 was donated to East New York's Transit Tech High School
Transit Tech High School
Transit Tech High School is a vocational high school in East New York, Brooklyn, New York. It is a trade school whose mission is the training of students for careers in the rapid transit industry. It is located at 1 Wells Street, at the corner of Fountain Avenue, between Atlantic Avenue and...
on April 14, 2009, replacing R30
R30 (New York City Subway car)
The R30 was a New York City Subway car built by St. Louis Car Company for the New York City Transit Authority in 1960–62. It was a continuation of the R16 and R27 style. They were a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for the "B" Division's R27s and closely resemble them.The cars were...
#8337, which was reefed a few months later. Pair 4460-4665 is located at the Coney Island Complex.
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 was intended to replace all of the R42 fleet, but this has been halted due to structural issues found on the R44
R44 (New York City Subway car)
The R44 is a New York City Transit car model that debuted in 1971 and currently operates on the Staten Island Railway.-History:The R44 was the first 75-foot car for the New York City Subway. It was introduced for the B Division under the idea from New York City Transit that a train of eight cars...
fleet. All R42s except for cars 4788-4817 and 4822-4839, which are assigned to East New York Yard and run on the J and Z services, have been retired and most were reefed along the Atlantic coast.