R40 (New York City Subway car)

Infobox Train
background =
name = R40 (New York City Subway car)

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imagesize = 250px
caption = Bronx-bound B train of R40s leaving Sheepshead Bay
interior

interiorcaption = Interior of car 4320
Manufacturer = St. Louis Car Company
Factory =
Family =
Built =
Refurbishment = 1988-1989
Replaced =
Formation = Stainless Steel sides with Carbon Steel chassis and underframes, Fiberglass A-end bonnet
Designation = 4150-4349
(originally 4150-4249 and 4350-4449)
Operator = New York City Subway
Depots =
LinesServed = NYCS|B
yearconstruction = 1968
yearservice =
yearscrapped =
numberconstruction =
numberbuilt = 200
numberservice = 90
numberscrapped = 107
CarBody = Stainless steel
CarLength = convert|60|ft|1|abbr=on
CarWidth = convert|10|ft|abbr=on
CarHeight = convert|12.08|ft|1|abbr=on
floorheight =
platformheight =
entrylevelorstep =
art-sections =
doors = 8
MaxSpeed = convert|65|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on
Weight = convert|77500|lb|kg|0|abbr=on
Capacity = 44 (seated)
Auxiliaries =
Power-supply = General Electric (GE) SCM 17KG192AE2 propulsion system using GE 1257E1 motors (115 hp per wheel)
Gauge = RailGauge|ussg standard gauge
Brakes = WABCO "SMEE" Braking SystemThe R40 (sometimes referred to as R40 Slant to distinguish it from the later R40M) is a New York City Subway IND–BMT car, built in 1967–69 by the St. Louis Car Company, St. Louis, Missouri. These cars were unique for their 10 degree slanted end, designed by Raymond Loewy of Studebaker fame. The slant design did not work in very well in service, resulting in numerous modifications to the R40 fleet early on in their service life. Some early plans for the R40 fleet involved 5 car sets with slants only on the ends.

The first R40 set (4350-51) was delivered in November, 1967. In January 1968 the first cars went into service on the NYCS service|F service (6 Avenue Local).

The New York City Transit Authority found great dangers with the slant, with the lack of handholds for riders walking between cars, the danger of the passenger falling onto the track and other flaws in the design. All R40 cars were later retrofitted with pantograph gates at the ends. With the poorly conceived slant design, NYCTA had the last 100 R40 cars (R40M) built with a straight end similar to the R42. 200 R40A's (100 R40A slants and 100 "R40M") were built with original air conditioning.

In 1987–1989 the R40's were rebuilt by Sumitomo in Elmira Heights, New York.

Currently, R40s can be found on the NYCS service|B line and are also used to provide extra service on the NYCS|D during construction or games at Yankee Stadium. They are based at Coney Island Yard in Brooklyn.

The R40 cars are numbered 4150-4349. The R40A cars (slant end) are numbered 4350-4449 (100 cars), and the R40M (straight end) are numbered 4450-4549 (100 cars). In January 2008, the R40 pair 4192-4193 was sent to the New York Transit Museum. They will most likely be preserved and moved to a yard. [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?79128] . The R160B order will replace all of the R40 fleet. The majority of cars have already been retired. [ [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?81053 R40 cars being prepared for reefing] ]

References

* Sansone, Gene. "Evolution of New York City subways: An illustrated history of New York City's transit cars, 1867-1997". New York Transit Museum Press, New York, 1997 ISBN 978-0963749284

External links

* [http://www.nycsubway.org/cars/r40.html nycsubway.org - NYC Subway Cars: R40]
* [http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/sdatasheet.php Car Status/Assignment]