R42 (New York City Subway car)

Infobox Train
background =
name = R42 (New York City Subway car)

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imagesize = 250px
caption = #4719 on the NYCS|J.
interior

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interiorcaption = Interior of car #4834
Manufacturer = St. Louis Car Company
Factory =
Family =
Built =
Refurbishment = 1989-1990
Replaced =
Formation = Stainless Steel with Carbon Steel chassis and underbody, Fiberglass A-end bonnet
Designation = 4550-4949
(all cars from 4840-4949 retired)
Operator = New York City Subway
Depots = East New York Yard, Pitkin Yard, Jamaica Yard
LinesServed = NYCS|A, NYCS|E, NYCS|J/Z
yearconstruction = 1969-1970
yearservice =
yearscrapped =
numberconstruction =
numberbuilt = 400
numberservice = 273
numberscrapped = 125
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|74388.5|lb|kg|0|abbr=on
Capacity = 44 (seated)
Auxiliaries =
Power-supply = General Electric (GE) SCM propulsion system using Westinghouse 1447J motors (115 hp per wheel)
Gauge = RailGauge|ussg standard gauge
Brakes =

The R42 is a New York City Subway car built in 1969–70. It was the last convert|60|ft|m|sing=on IND-BMT car built for the subway until the R143 in 2001, and the last model class to be built in pairs (mated sets). Thereafter, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) switched for the time being to convert|75|ft|m|sing=on cars for the IND–BMT divisions.

Built by the St. Louis Car Company in St. Louis, Missouri, the R42 were the first fully original air-conditioned car class in the New York City Subway. They are used on the NYCS|A, NYCS|E, NYCS|J, and NYCS|Z lines. Cars 4550-4615 run on the A and often intermix with the R40Ms. As more R160As are delivered and enter service, R42s are being shifted from East New York Yard (NYCS|J, NYCS|L, NYCS|M, and NYCS|Z), to Jamaica Yard (NYCS|E, NYCS|F, NYCS|G, NYCS|R, NYCS|V) in order of lowest numbered cars being the first to go. These R42s are replacing the R32 Phase II cars on those lines. As of September 22, 2008, cars 4616-4741 have been transferred to Jamaica Yard.

Cars 4554-4555 were the first R42s in service on May 9, 1969 (in a mixed train on the BMT Sea Beach Line).

282 cars (4550-4839) were overhauled by Morrison-Knudsen. The last 110 cars (4840-4949), all of which have since been retired, were rebuilt by NYCTA Coney Island Shop in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The one minor difference in appearance between the two overhauls was that many cars of the Coney Island version featured the original blue door indicator lights at the ends of the cars. These lights were removed from the Morrison-Knudsen rebuilds. Rebuilding of the R42 fleet spanned from 1988 to 1989.

R42s 4680, 4681, 4714, 4715, 4766, and 4767 were scrapped in 1988. 4664 was scrapped in 2001 after a rear-end collision on the Williamsburg Bridge in June 1995. Its mate, 4665, was paired with R40M 4460, the other car left without a mate in the Williamsburg bridge accident. A consist of R42s was involved in an accident at Chambers Street Station on November 6, 2007. The entire consist, consisting of cars [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77882 4730] , [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77872 4731] , [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77878 4624] , [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77876 4625] , [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77881 4818] , [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77879 4819] , [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77880 4786] , and [http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?77883 4787] were hauled away to 207th street yard for reefing, even though only the first two cars suffered major damage and the next four cars were only lightly damaged. [http://www.mta.info/mta/news/releases/?agency=nyct&en=071106-NYCT144] [http://www.nycsubway.org/cars/r42.html] As the cars are relatively old, and replacement cars are currently arriving, it was determined that it would make little fiscal sense to repair them. 4572-73 were used in the famous chase scene in the film "The French Connection".

The incoming R160A/R160B order will replace some or all of the R42 fleet. All of the Coney Island rebuilt R42s as well as the 8 cars involved in the Chambers Street accident mentioned above have been retired and undergoing stripping at 207th Street Yard for reefing/sinking along the Atlantic coast.

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/r42.html nycsubway.org - NYC Subway Cars: R42]
* [http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/sdatasheet.php Car Status/Assignment]