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The BMT Fleet (Elevated, Subway, Experimental)

From nycsubway.org

BMT D-Type Triplex 6052 on the Brighton Line at Beverley Road, January 1961. George Conrad Collection.

Roster



Other ways to view the above table: Printable (PDF)

BMT Elevated Cars

Gate Cars

C Types

The C-types were rebuilt open platform elevated cars, rebuilt by the BMT in 1923-1925. Each C-type unit contained 3 cars semi-permanently coupled, with a motor car on each end and a trailer in the middle. The gates and platforms at the ends of the cars were removed, and two doorways were cut into each side of each car. Outside-hung sliding doors were attached to the cars, common in Boston at the time and London at present. (The only other rolling stock in New York to have outside-hung doors were the Manhattan elevated cars converted to MUDC, or multiple-unit door control.) The home-grown design and conversion was fairly ugly. The C-types were finally retired in 1956 along with the last original portions of the Fulton El in Brooklyn. None survive.

Q Types

sheet001a_qtype-sm.gif

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.

BMT Subway Cars

A/B Types ("Standards")

1921 rail industry advertisement featuring the BMT A/B Types.
1921 rail industry advertisement featuring the BMT A/B Types.

sheet002-bmtstandard-sm.gif

engnewsdc785s.gif

Length over
Anticlimbers

67' 3"
Width at
Door Sills

10' 0"
Total
Weight

96,320 lbs.
Height from
Railhead

12' 1 1/8"
Height, Railhead
to Floor

3' 9 1/8"
Seating
Capacity

78

Service using the BMT Standards began/ended on the following lines...

Line Started Ended
Sea Beach 5/1/1915 4/1965
4th Avenue Local 1/15/1916 2/1962
West End 6/24/1916 10/1965
Brighton 8/1/1920 1/1965
Canarsie 1924 8/1969

D Types ("Triplex")

1928 rail industry advertisement featuring the BMT D-Types.
1928 rail industry advertisement featuring the BMT D-Types.

The BMT D-Type Triplex cars were ordered in 1924 under pressure from the city to abandon wooden cars in favor of steel, due to safety concerns arising from accidents, such as the Malbone Street wreck of 1918, which caused the financial demise of the BMT's predecessor the BRT.

Unlike a standard subway car, which has a set of wheels, or truck, at each end, the triplex cars share trucks. The three car units are articulated and cannot be separated. A truck is under each of the articulated joints, and at each end. Therefore a triplex unit has four trucks, whereas a normal three-car train would have six trucks, two on each car. The trucks in the middle contain the motors, and the ones at the end are trailer trucks. The triplex was the heaviest car ever used in the New York City subway system.

The first units, the pilots (6000-6003) went into service in 1925 (probably 9/1925). They were used on the Foruth Ave. Local. The production fleet started to arrive early in 1927 and the units were assigned mainly to the Fourth Ave. Local but also to the Brighton Local. In 9/1928, just before completion of delivery of the entire fleet, the units on the Fourth Ave. Local were moved to the Sea Beach Express and provided full service here, as well continuing partial service on the Brighton Local.

On 4/27/1950, the units on the Brighton Local were moved to the Brighton Express, and on 5/27/1959 provided the mainstay of service here, continuing partial service on the Sea Beach Express. On 4/13/1963, the units on the Sea Beach Express began to be alternately used on the West End Express and the various Nassau St. services.

These are the main assignments for this type over the years. There were many variations and side assignments in addition. The last units, running on the West End line, were removed from service July 23, 1965.--(Information from William Zucker; and Transit Museum Nostalgia Train handout from July 1995.)

Unit NumberWeight In PoundsYear
6000-6003213,6001927
6004-6070207,6001928
6071-6119209,2001928
SectionCapacityLength
Section A55 Seats45' 4.5"
Section B50 Seats38' 11.75"
Section C55 Seats45' 4.5"
Total Length 137'
Total Seats160 Seats
Total Standing395
Total Capacity555

Experimental Fleet

1934 rail industry advertisement featuring the BMT "Green Hornet"

The BMT had a number of experimental trains that were ordered in small quantities, as few as one train's worth of cars. In addition, the BMT saw cars from the IRT and SIRT serving time on BMT lines.

Green Hornet

Five section articulated experimental train, built in 1934 by the Pullman Car Co. Built largely of aluminum and painted green, it became known as the "Green Hornet". It was delivered May 14, 1934, and entered service on the Fulton Street El August 29, 1934. It didn't last long, however; the Green Hornet was withdrawn from service on February 1, 1941 and removed from the 36 Street Yard by the scrap dealer Aug 30-Sep 1, 1943 because its aluminum was needed for the war effort. The Green Hornet was originally numbered 7000A-8000B-9000C-8001B-7001A. It was re-numbered 7003 A-B-C-B1-A1.

Zephyr

Another experimental train, built of stainless steel by the Budd Co. became known as the "Zephyr". It was delivered June 28, 1934, and entered service on the Fulton Street El on August 13, 1934. Surviving longer than the Green Hornet, it was removed from service August 4, 1954 and scrapped in 1960. The Zephyr was originally numbered 7002A-8002B-9001C-8003B-7003A. It was renumbered 7029 A-B-C-B1-A1 in 1937.

Multisection Units

25 five-car trains: units 7003,7014-7028 A-B-C-B1-A1 manufactured by Pullman; 7004-7013 A-B-C-B1-A1 by St. Louis Car in 1936.

Bluebird

Six trains, blue & white paint scheme, car numbers 8000 A-B-A1 through 8005 A-B-A1, manufactured by Clark in 1938.

BMT Press Release about the "Bluebird", July 11, 1938:

Orders for an experimmtal streamlined, light-weight, high-speed, three section car, built of aluminum alloy and equipped with rubber-cushioned wheels and rubber springs to materially reduce noise in operation on "L" and subway lines have been placed by the Now York Rapid Transit Corporation, it was announced today at the B.-M.T. offices, 385 Flatbush Avenue Extension, Brooklyn, N.Y.

This new ultra-modern car is expected to provide an important and far-reaching an advance in the desiga and equipment of cars for "L" and subway operation as the Modern Street Cars am operated on the Smith-Coney Island, McDonald-Vanderbilt, Seventh Avenue, and Erie Basin street car lines in Brooklyn provided in the street railway field, The major purpose of the new type car is to adapt for rapid transit lines the results of the $1,000,000 research activities jointly financed by leading transit companies of the country that provided the scientific and engineering basis for the design and equipment of the Modern Street Car.

The car bodies and trucks of the new type rapid transit car will be constructed by the Clark Equipment Company, of Battle Creek, Michigan. The motor and control equipment will be furnished by the General Electric Company, the air brake apparatus by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, and the door operating equipment by the Consolidated Car Heating Company.

The car will be 80 feat 4 inches long and of the articulated type - with four trucks supporting the three sections of the car body, one truck at each end of the car and a truck under each of the two vestibules connecting the center and end sections of the car to permit passengers to pass from one section to the other. There will be seats for 84 passengers and the total passenger capacity of the car is estimated at 318 passengers.

The trucks will have rubber springs to support the car body, similar to the rubber springs used with great success on the Modern Street Cars in Brooklyn, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and other cities since their introduction in Brooklyn in October 1936. The trucks for the rapid transit car will include contact shoes to pick up power from the third rail and automatic stop devices for use in connection with the block signal system used on the rapid transit lines. The use of rubber springs not only helps to improve the riding qualities of the car but helps to reduce noise in operation by eliminating contacts between metal parts.

The use of high tensile aluminum alloys in the body structure makes possible a substantial reduction in weight as compared with standard type subway cars. The estimated maximum weight per axle of the new car with full passenger load is 14,400 pounds, as compared with 35,000 pounds for a standard subway car. The estimated weight per linear foot of the new car with passengers is 1,430 pounds as compared with 2,014 pounds for a standard subway car. The estimated cost per linear foot of the new car in quantity production is aprroximetely $500 as compared with approximately $720 per linear foot for cars for the Independent Subway.

For motive power there will be eight motors of 55 h.p. each - one motor on each axle. The control apparatus has been designed to provide rapid but smooth starts (acceleration) and stops (deceleration) by automatically graduating the increase or decrease of power to the motors. This permits faster schedules of operation for this car in comparison with standard subway cars.

An important feature of the new cars is the use of three braking systems - a dynamic braking system in which the motors are used to stop as well as start the car; magnetic track brakes which operate directly on the rails and are located between each pair of wheels; and the air brakes with brake shoes on the wheels. By reducing to a minimum the use of brake shoes in stopping trains, much of the brake shoe and steel dust created by the friction of the brake shoes on the steel wheels will be eliminated and in the subways particularly the new type cars will provide a cleaner and healthier as well as practically noiseless operation.

The use of resilient wheels - wheels in which the axles and steel rims or tires are cushioned by rubber pads or "sandwiches" vulcanized to steel plates so the car literally rides or floats on rubber - is also an innovation in rapid transit car design. This type of wheel, however, has stood severe tests in operation on the Modern Street Cars since October 1936.

Many of the precision equipment units developed in recent years are to be used in the new car - notably hypoid geers, shock absorbers and roller bearings all of which are designed to reduce or eliminate noise in operation. Mechanical ventilation will be provided - air forced by blowers through ducts to various parts of the car so as to maintain constant circulation of air, with an air filter to eliminate dust from air taken into the ventilation systam from outside the car. For illumination, the car will be equipped with non-glare, high intensity lights, arranged to provide an even distribution of light throughout the car.

SIRT Motor Purchase

Car numbers 2900-2924 purchased from SIRT. These cars were similar to but incompatible with the BMT Standards. Some cars later used for work service, yard offices.

IRT Low-V Converts

Car numbers 4581, 4583, 4584, 4585-4605 converted with wide sills at platform level for use on BMT lines, 1959-1961.

Datasheets

Photo Gallery

There are 2956 photos available.
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Five Random Images

Image 6369

(219k, 1024x670)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: 160th Street (Demolished)

Image 8209

(215k, 1024x668)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Avenue X

Image 26097

(472k, 1200x800)
Collection of: David Pirmann
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 43089

(66k, 800x560)
Collection of: Christopher Sattler
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 57754

(40k, 640x426)
Collection of: Vic Gordon
     


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 1601-1650 1651-1700 1701-1750 1751-1800 1801-1850 1851-1900 1901-1950 1951-2000 2001-2050 2051-2100 2101-2150 2151-2200 2201-2250 2251-2300 2301-2350 2351-2400 2401-2450 2451-2500 2501-2550 2551-2600 2601-2650 2651-2700 2701-2750 2751-2800 2801-2850 2851-2900 2901-2950 2951-2956

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
33, 1076 Fire damage, 12/07/1922.
56 Wrecked, 1/12/1917.
80, 100, 725, 726, 1064 Damaged or destroyed in the Malbone Street Wreck, 11/1/1918.

Image 94284

(115k, 600x600)
Collection of: NYCTA File Photo
Location: Empire Blvd. (Malbone St.) Tunnel Portal

Image 114322

(214k, 1024x772)
Collection of: George Conrad Collection
Location: Empire Blvd. (Malbone St.) Tunnel Portal

Image 114323

(225k, 1024x686)
Collection of: George Conrad Collection
Location: Empire Blvd. (Malbone St.) Tunnel Portal
  


82 Damaged and rebuilt into Car 684, circa 1910.
197 At Shore Line Trolley Museum.

Image 112583

(206k, 1024x596)
Collection of: George Conrad Collection

Image 112584

(172k, 1024x686)
Collection of: George Conrad Collection

Image 112585

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Collection of: George Conrad Collection
  


261 Collision at East New York Yard, 2/8/1925
659 At Shore Line Trolley Museum.

Image 6708

(189k, 1024x664)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose

Image 34274

(195k, 1024x673)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose

Image 112587

(228k, 1024x826)
Collection of: George Conrad Collection
  


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 Trolley Museum.

Image 7500

(165k, 1050x748)
Photo by: Harv Kahn

Image 7502

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Photo by: Harv Kahn

Image 127923

(391k, 1024x825)
Collection of: Frank Pfuhler
  


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 Trolley Museum. Operational.

Image 26174

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Photo by: Richard Panse

Image 34749

(275k, 1044x788)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 34750

(224k, 1044x788)
Photo by: David Pirmann
  


1349 At Shore Line Trolley Museum. Operational.

Image 57753

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Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 84985

(173k, 1044x705)
Photo by: Richard Panse

Image 111604

(302k, 1044x701)
Photo by: David Pirmann
  


1362 At Shore Line Trolley Museum.

Image 6646

(300k, 1024x696)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose

Image 38792

(219k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Frank Hicks

Image 111655

(355k, 1024x681)
Photo by: Richard Panse
  


1365 At St. Louis Museum of Transportation.

Image 36431

(60k, 700x498)
Photo by: Frank Hicks

Image 150601

(469k, 1200x800)
Collection of: David Pirmann
   


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.

Image 8195

(231k, 1024x669)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Shop/Overhaul & Repair Shop

Image 8196

(262k, 1024x690)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

Image 34011

(192k, 1044x701)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: Brighton Beach

Image 34152

(159k, 720x478)
Photo by: Peter Ehrlich
Location: Astoria Boulevard/Hoyt Avenue

Image 34322

(270k, 1044x701)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: 215th Street
     


1487 Derailed, wrecked, 1917.
1602A At Trolley Museum of New York.

Image 6868

(407k, 1044x696)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 44512

(255k, 1044x704)
Photo by: David Pirmann
   


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.

Image 112571

(188k, 1024x675)
Collection of: George Conrad Collection
Location: Fresh Pond Yard
    


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.

Image 6796

(208k, 1024x678)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Shop/Overhaul & Repair Shop

Image 6798

(244k, 1024x670)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

Image 69647

(177k, 1044x788)
Photo by: John Barnes
Location: New York Transit Museum

Image 78037

(288k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Zach Summer
Location: New York Transit Museum
 


1630X, 1631X, 1612B, 1631X Converted to reach car service, 30617, 30618, 30619, and alcohol sprayer car 30505, respectively.

Image 7966

(100k, 820x620)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: SBK Yard (2nd Ave at 38th St.) (SBK)

Image 7967

(99k, 820x620)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: SBK Yard (2nd Ave at 38th St.) (SBK)

Image 7968

(92k, 820x620)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: SBK Yard (2nd Ave at 38th St.) (SBK)
  


2204 At New York Transit Museum. Not operational.

Image 26199

(347k, 1200x800)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose
Collection of: David Pirmann
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 79625

(111k, 820x620)
Photo by: Gary Chatterton
Location: New York Transit Museum

Image 126720

(274k, 1024x680)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard
  


2330 Hit bumper block at Broad Street, 2/25/1953.
2390, 2391, 2392 At Coney Island Yard. Owned by Railway Preservation Corp. Out of service for many years but was restored 2010-2015 and ran in Transit Museum excursion service June 26, 2015.

Image 24486

(206k, 1044x701)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: Coney Island Shop/Overhaul & Repair Shop

Image 83213

(236k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Don Huber
Location: Coney Island Shop/Overhaul & Repair Shop

Image 83238

(298k, 1044x699)
Photo by: Edward R. Coffey
Location: Coney Island Shop/Overhaul & Repair Shop

Image 133730

(367k, 1024x675)
Photo by: John Dooley
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard
 


2500, 2714, 2741 Converted to revenue collector cars 30178 (20178), 30179 (20179), and 30180 (20180) respectively.
2631, 2866-67-68 and 2768-69-70 Collision at Sea Beach line portals on 11/21/1959. Scrapped 12/12/1960.
2761 In collision with R-27 8217 at Coney Island.
2775 At Shore Line Trolley Museum. Non-operational (was involved in a flood at museum site).

Image 111656

(191k, 1024x441)
Photo by: Richard Panse

Image 127853

(411k, 1044x753)
Photo by: Mark S. Feinman

Image 127854

(387k, 1044x746)
Photo by: Mark S. Feinman
  


6019ABC, 6095ABC, 6112ABC New York Transit Museum collection. Once the museum's regular Nostalgia Train, the D-Type museum fleet has been laid up since 2004 due to various mechanical issues. One set is kept in the museum and the other two at Coney Island Yard. During 2015 the Triplexes were restored to operation and operated in Transit Museum excursion service on June 26, 2015. During the 2015 shop work, they were made compatible with the IND "R-1/R-9" museum fleet for possible joint service.

Image 34027

(198k, 800x600)
Photo by: Fred Guenther
Location: Neck Road

Image 41485

(167k, 1044x793)
Photo by: Mike Fioriello
Location: Linden Yard

Image 42888

(197k, 1020x770)
Collection of: Amanda Marsh
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 83298

(234k, 1044x699)
Photo by: Michael Hodurski
Location: Coney Island Yard
 


6078ABC-6045ABC Collision at Stillwell Avenue, 6/19/1955. Rebuilt as 6045AB-6078C and renumbered 6045ABC.


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