| Designation | Division | Unit Numbers | Manufacturer | Years |
|---|
| R44 | IND/BMT | 5202-5479
(Original #'s) | St. Louis Car | 1971-1973 |
| R44 SI | SIRT | 388-435, 436-466 (even)
(Original #'s) | St. Louis Car | 1971-1973 |
- Stainless steel
- 75' long, 10' wide
- 4-car sets; even numbers have cabs; odd numbers "blind". Cars
are numbered consecutively in set. Lowest number usually divides only
by two. Highest number in pair is odd. 5403 part of odd bunch.
- Cars 5201-5481 originally 100-387 (but not in order); 388-399
originally NYC Subway then transfered to Staten Island Rapid
Transit. See table of the original
numbers.
- Out-of-sequence set numbering (based on observation- not an exhaustive list):
5270-5249-5251-5250,
5284-5271-5269-5268
- R44 Datasheet from NYCT Revenue & Non-Revenue Car Drawings
|
The R44 Sets A World Speed Record
On January 31, 1972, the Transit Authority used a consist
of R44 cars to conduct speed trials on the Long Island Railroad's main
line tracks between Woodside and Jamaica. The R44s set an official
world speed record, for subway trains, of 87.75 mph, with TA personnel
noting that the consist was still accelerating as it approached the
end of the designated 5.9 mile-long test track. The TA repeated the
speed trial, this time purposefully disabling two out of four motors
per car, to indirectly simulate the effect of a rush hour crowd of
passengers. The train still managed to reach 77 mph.
The R44s drew 650V DC from LIRR's third rail, a power
supply system inherited from the Pennsylvania Railroad. The
introduction of the Budd Company's high-performance M1 commuter MUs,
beginning in 1968, mandated an upgrade of third-rail power to 750V DC
in order to exploit the M1's capabilities. This work was carried out
during 1971 and 1972, and was not quite finished when the R44s made
their record-breaking runs. The trials demonstrated the potential of
the newest generation of subway cars to offer high-speed
service. --Thanks to Ron Aryel
Car Notes
| |
Preserved
(Or Saved for Preservation) |
|
|
Converted to Work Service
(Might Still Exist) |
|
|
Wrecked/Damaged in Accident
(Possibly Repaired) |
| 109, 120, 248 |
Involved in fire, 2/4/1986. Not rebuilt. Scrapped.
|
| 132 |
Negative camber and buckled side sills, not rebuilt. Scrapped.
|
| 176, 215 |
Derailed, hit pillar n.of 59th St., 6/18/1989. Both scrapped.
|
| 227, 315 |
Involved in fire at 207th Street in 1974. 227 now at FDNY Training Academy on Randall's Island, 315 scrapped.
|
| 288 |
Collision at 205th St. 12/1974, not rebuilt, scrapped.
|
| 328, 329, 331, 330; 332, 333, 335, 334 |
Experimental carpeted floor.
|
| 385 |
Not rebuilt, had original hydraulic brakes, scrapped, 1982.
|
| 5248 |
Being scrapped due to severe frame rot, Summer 2004. Parts to be used to ressurrect 5284 and 5402. Mate 5249 mismated to 5270 (5270-5249-5271-5284 as a set).
|
| 5282, 5283, 5284, 5285 |
Derailed at 135th Street in Manhattan, 7/3/1997; 5282: rear of car sheared off, scrapped on site; 5283 suffered fire damage. 5283,4,5 still out of service, stripped for parts. 5284 returned to service Summer 2004, mismated with 5271 (5270-5249-5271-5284 as a set).
|
| 5319 |
Caught fire (by vandalism) at Far Rockaway, 1997. Scrapped.
|
| 5402 |
Out of service due to fire, 4/9/1997. Had some rebuiling but never entered service and was since stripped.
|
R44 MDBF
| Date | Mean Distance
Between Failure (Miles) |
|---|
| 05/1994 | 85273 | | 06/1997 | 58944 | | 07/1997 | 63181 | | 12 Months Ending 07/1997 | 63215 | | 12 Months Ending 11/1999 | 46332 | | 12 Months Ending 12/2001 | 69446 | | 12 Months Ending 12/2002 | 77504 | | 12 Months Ending 12/2003 | 82387 | | 12 Months Ending 12/2004 | 113705 | | 12 Months Ending 12/2005 | 115491 | | 12 Months Ending 12/2006 | 141914 |
|
|
