R4 (New York City Subway car)

R4

An R4 subway car on display at the Seashore Trolley Museum

Interior of R4 car 484.
Manufacturer American Car and Foundry
Constructed 1932-1933
Scrapped 1977
Number built 500
Number preserved 4
Number scrapped 496
Formation motorized single units (Half-width operator's cab at each end; conductor controls on exterior)
Fleet numbers 400-899
Capacity 56
Operator(s) Independent Subway System
New York City Transit Authority
Specifications
Car body construction Riveted Steel
Car length 60 feet 2 12 inches (18.35 m)
Width 10 feet (3.05 m)
Height 12 feet 1 58 inches (3.70 m)
Floor height (?)
Platform height (?)
Doors 8
Maximum speed 55 mph (89 km/h)
Weight 84,503 lb (38,330 kg)
Traction system General Electric (GE) 714 A-1, A-2 DC Motors (2 per motor truck)
Power output 190 hp (142 kW) per traction motor
Acceleration 1.75 mph/s (2.82 km/(h·s))
Electric system(s) 600 V DC Third rail
Current collection method Contact shoe (Top running)
Braking system(s) WABCO Schedule AMUE with UE-5 universal valve, ME-23 brake stand, and simplex clasp brake rigging
Coupling system WABCO H2A
Track gauge 4 ft 8 12 in (1,435 mm)

R4 is the contract number for the second order of standard subway cars purchased for the IND division of the New York City Subway. They were built by American Car and Foundry Company between 1932 and 1933, and were practically identical to the original R1 order. The R4s had a slightly different side door panel than the R1, adding small handle notches below the door window. The 500 R4s were numbered 400-899 to continue the R1's sequence of numbers. The R5 contract order was for trucks and motors for R4 fleet. In 1932, each new car cost $30,633 for the carbody under contract R4.[1]

The contract of subway cars was ordered to equip extensions of the IND in Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn.[1]

The R4's were used for service on the IND exclusively until 1972-73, when many were retired, and replaced by the R44's. Some still usable R4's were salvaged and renumbered with number plates removed from out of service newer R6 thru R9 series cars, and were transferred to East New York Yard of the Eastern Division, and were used on the former BMT J, KK, LL, M, and QJ routes until 1977 when these renumbered R4's were finally retired and replaced by the R46's.

Preservation

Experimental Refits

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 Cunningham, Joseph; DeHart, Leonard O. (1993-01-01). A History of the New York City Subway System. J. Schmidt, R. Giglio, and K. Lang.
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