In the late 1930's, the BMT decided to modernize its
fleet of elevated cars serving the Corona-Flushing Line for the 1939
World's Fair. They selected several of its old elevated cars for
conversion into semi-permanently mated sets known as "Q" (for
"Queens") cars. This involved enclosing the cars' platforms,
installing quarter-point side doors, and reworking the control systems
so that each set functioned in a motor/trailer/motor fashion. There
were 30 three-car "Q" sets numbered 1600ABC through 1629ABC, and 12
two-car "QX" numbered 1630AB through 1641AB. The "Q" sets were
arranged motor-trailer-motor; the "QX" sets had one motorized car and
one unmotorized cab control car.
In 1950, the "Q" fleet was transferred to the Third
Avenue Elevated and lighter-weight trucks from IRT composite cars were
fitted under the cars. The final change to the appearance of the "Q"
fleet came in 1957, when they were transferred to the Myrtle Avenue
Line and their railroad roofs were lowered in height so that they
could make it through the subway to the Coney Island shop
complex. They were finally retired at the cessation of Myrtle El
service between Broadway and Jay Street in 1969.
| 33, 1076 |
Fire damage, 12/07/1922.
|
| 56 |
Wrecked, 1/12/1917.
|
| 80, 100, 725, 726, 1064 |
Damaged or destroyed in Malbone Street Wreck, 11/1/1918.
|
| 82 |
Damaged and rebuilt into Car 684, circa 1910.
|
| 197 |
At Shore Line Transit Museum.
|
| 261 |
Collision at East New York Yard, 2/8/1925
|
| 659 |
At Shore Line Transit Museum.
|
| 732 |
Wrecked, no other info available.
|
| 913, 919 |
Fell from elevated structure at Flatbush and 5th Avenues, 6/25/1923.
|
| 999 |
Elevated Instruction Car. At Shore Line Transit Museum.
|
| 1016 |
Fire damage, 2/13/1918.
|
| 1020 |
Fire damage, 4/23/1924.
|
| 1045 |
Fire damage, 11/1/1920.
|
| 1049 |
Fire damage, 4/16/1918.
|
| 1080 |
Collision at Ocean Parkway, 8/5/1924.
|
| 1087 |
Fire damage, 4/19/1921.
|
| 1227 |
At Shore Line Transit Museum. Operational.
|
| 1349 |
At Shore Line Transit Museum.
|
| 1362 |
At Shore Line Transit Museum.
|
| 1365 |
At St. Louis Museum of Transportation.
|
| 1404, 1407, 1273 |
At New York Transit Museum. Since 1979,
cars 1404, 1273, and 1407 have been on display at NYTM and has
occasionally run in fantrip service. These three cars, a
motor/trailer/motor set of Brooklyn elevated "gate" cars, have led a
strange and eventful life. For the first three decades of their life
they operated in essentially the configuration they are currently in:
open-plaform wooden cars. These three cars were selected in 1938 to
be part of the "Q-type" modernization program. Car 1404 became the
"C" car of set 1603; car 1407 became the "A" car of set 1603; car 1273
became the center trailer car 1603B. In 1957 the 1603ABC set was
renumbered to 1622ABC. Retired in the late 1960's along with the
other "Q" types, the set now numbered 1622ABC was chosen for
preservation and operated on fantrips during the 1970's. In 1979 it
was decided that the three cars in set 1622 would be rebuilt to
original as-built condition. This was done, but incompletely; the
cars retained their 1957 lowered roofs and 1950 lightweight trucks.
--Frank Hicks and Jeff Hakner.
|
| 1487 |
Derailed, wrecked, 1917.
|
| 1602A |
At Trolley Museum of New York.
|
| 1609C |
Involved in collision with SIRT 2925 at Fresh Pond Yard, 1/14/1966. 1609C suffered minor damage, while the SIRT car was pushed on to the tracks of the LIRR Montauk Branch.
|
| 1612C |
At New York Transit Museum. The
best-preserved example of a BMT "Q" type rapid transit car is 1612C,
preserved in the only rail museum in the country actually situated in
a disused subway station, the New York
Transit Museum. This car was built as a single-unit,
open-platform wooden elevated car for service on the BRT, and for the
first three decades of its life it operated as such. This car was
selected in 1938 to be part of the "Q-type" modernization program.
Retired in the late 1960's along with the other "Q" types, 1612C was
first converted to alcohol sprayer car 30504 (20504), and then chosen
for preservation sans the other two cars in its set. In the late
1970's, when preserved "Q" set 1622ABC was rebuilt to open platform
configuration, 1612C was restored to its c1940 condition and placed in
the NYTM where it has remained on display for over a quarter century.
--Jeff Hakner and Frank Hicks.
|
| 1622ABC |
See entry for 1404, 1407, 1273.
|
| 1630X, 1631X, 1612B |
Converted to reach car service, 30617, 30618, 30619, respectively.
|
| 1631X |
Converted to alcohol sprayer car 30505 (20505).
|
