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R-44 (St. Louis, 1971-1973)

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title_ny_r44.jpg

R-44 train led by car 5262 enters Broad Channel on the Rockaways shuttle service. Photo by David Pirmann, June 2004.

Roster

Designation Unit Numbers Manufacturer Years
R-44 5202-5479 St. Louis Car 1971-1973
R-44 SIRT 388-435, 436-466 (even) 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 detailed roster below for a table of the original numbers.

Datasheets

Notes

The R-44 Sets a World Speed Record. On January 31, 1972, the Transit Authority used a consist of R-44 cars to conduct speed trials on the Long Island Railroad's main line tracks between Woodside and Jamaica. The R-44s 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 R-44s 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 R-44s 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

Photo Gallery

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Five Random Images

Image 86216

(217k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Philip D'Allesandro
Location: Rockaway Park/Beach 116th Street

Image 108862

(200k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Glenn L. Rowe
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 115960

(207k, 1024x678)
Collection of: Collection of nycsubway.org

Image 126702

(261k, 1024x676)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose

Image 143193

(285k, 1044x594)
Photo by: Bernard Chatreau
Location: Eltingville
     


More Images: 1-50 51-100 101-150 151-200 201-250 251-300 301-350 351-400 401-450 451-500 501-550 551-600 601-650 651-700 701-750 751-800 801-850 851-900 901-950 951-1000 1001-1050 1051-1100 1101-1150 1151-1200 1201-1250 1251-1300 1301-1350 1351-1400 1401-1450 1451-1500 1501-1550 1551-1600 1601-1648

Car Notes

Green Preserved, saved for preservation,
or exists in some state
Yellow Converted to work service
(and later scrapped or still in use)
Red Wrecked/Damaged in accident (and possibly repaired),
or scrapped prior to the bulk of the type

Number Notes
Originally as delivered, cars featured different braking systems:
  • 100-367 and SI fleet - Wabco;
  • 368-379 - New York Air Brake;
  • 380-387 - Hydraulic, unknown manufacturer;
  • 388-399 - Westcode.

All the above could be used together in consists except for the hydraulic cars.

109, 120, 248 Involved in fire, 2/4/1986. Not rebuilt. Scrapped.

Image 115856

(364k, 1200x800)
Collection of: Collection of nycsubway.org
Location: Coney Island Yard
    


132 Negative camber and buckled side sills, not rebuilt. Scrapped.

Image 115855

(426k, 1200x800)
Collection of: Collection of nycsubway.org
Location: Coney Island Yard
    


176, 215 Derailed, hit pillar n. of 59th St., 6/18/1989. Both scrapped.

Image 5695

(49k, 817x525)
Photo by: Harold
Location: 207th Street Yard
    


227, 315 Involved in fire at 207th Street in 1974. 227 now at FDNY Training Academy on Randall's Island, 315 scrapped.

Image 5707

(74k, 640x480)
Photo by: Trevor Logan
Location: SBK Yard (2nd Ave at 38th St.) (SBK)
    


288 Collision at 205th St. 12/1974, not rebuilt, scrapped.

Image 5705

(73k, 640x480)
Photo by: Trevor Logan
Location: SBK Yard (2nd Ave at 38th St.) (SBK)

Image 7626

(202k, 1044x702)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: Coney Island Yard
   


328, 329, 331, 330; 332, 333, 335, 334 Experimental carpeted floor.

Image 5708

(212k, 1024x673)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose

Image 5709

(205k, 1024x687)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose

Image 5710

(151k, 1024x660)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
  


385 Not rebuilt, had original hydraulic brakes, scrapped, 1982.

Image 5716

(76k, 640x480)
Photo by: Trevor Logan
Location: SBK Yard (2nd Ave at 38th St.) (SBK)
    



5240 (Originally #172) Preserved for New York Transit Museum collection.

Image 82875

(200k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Chris M.
Location: Beach 105th Street/Seaside
    


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).

Image 97511

(161k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Robert Mencher
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 132971

(300k, 1024x672)
Photo by: John Dooley
Location: 207th Street Yard
   


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).

Image 132973

(283k, 1024x680)
Photo by: John Dooley
Location: 207th Street Yard
    


5319 Caught fire (by vandalism) at Far Rockaway, 1997. Scrapped.

Image 5722

(57k, 768x512)
Photo by: Michael Pompili
Location: SBK Yard (2nd Ave at 38th St.) (SBK)
    


5402 Out of service due to fire, 4/9/1997. Had some rebuiling but never entered service and was since stripped.

Image 97513

(170k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Robert Mencher
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 132982

(290k, 1024x672)
Photo by: John Dooley
Location: 207th Street Yard
   



Detailed Roster



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MDBF Data

Subway Car MDBF Data









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