R142A (New York City Subway car)

R142A (New York City Subway car)
An R142A train in 6 service approaches Parkchester in the Bronx.
Interior of an R142A car.
In service	1999-onward
Manufacturer	Kawasaki Rail Car Company
Built at	Yonkers, NY, USA and Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan
Constructed	1999-2004
Refurbishment	7211-7220 (R188s)
Number built	600
Number in service	590 (510 in revenue service during rush hours)
Formation	5 car sets (2 A cars and 3 B cars)
Fleet numbers	7211-7810 (as built) 7221-7810 (currently)
Capacity	176 (A car) 188 (B car)
Operator	New York City Subway
Depot(s)	Mosholu Yard, Westchester Yard
Line(s) served	and
Specifications
Car body construction	Stainless steel with fiberglass blind end bonnets
Car length	51.33 feet (15.65 m)
Width	8.60 feet (2.62 m)
Height	11.89 feet (3.62 m)
Platform height	3.6458 ft (1.1 m)
Doors	6 per car
Maximum speed	55 miles per hour (89 km/h)
Weight	73,300 pounds (33,200 kg) (A car) 67,800 pounds (30,800 kg) (B car)
Acceleration	2.5 MPHPS
Deceleration	2.5 MPHPS (full service), 3.2 MPHPS (emergency)
Traction system	Bombardier MITRAC propulsion system, 3-Phase AC Traction Motors Model 1508C
Power output	150 hp (111.855 kW) per motor axle; 2,100 hp (1,565.970 kW) per 5 car set
Auxiliaries	SAFT 195 AH battery (B car)
Power supply	625 VDC third rail
Braking system(s)	Dynamic braking propulsion system; WABCO RT-96 tread brake system
Gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Standard gauge

The R142A, along with the R142, are part of the fourth generation of cars for the A Division of the New York City Subway.

Background

The R142A cars were built by Kawasaki from 1999 thrugh 2004, and have many of the same features as the R142, built by Bombardier. The 400 R142A cars of the main order are numbered 7211-7610; the 120 option cars are numbers 7611-7730. Eighty cars, known as the R142S, were built by Kawasaki in 2003-04 to supplement the R142As. They are numbered as 7731-7810. Note that R142S is not an official designation, just a reference to the Supplemental order of these cars. They are mechanically and physically identical to all other R142As, and therefore it is customary to refer to cars 7731-7810 as R142As.

As of 2012, cars 7221-7590 and 7596-7670 run on the 6 train and cars 7671-7810 run on the 4 train.

Cars 7211-7220 have been overhauled with Communications-based train control (CBTC) and are now R188s. As of February 7th, 2012, cars 7591-7595 have been taken out of service and are currently at Corona Yard. It is unclear whether this set will be overhauled into R188s.

Differences between the R142 and R142As

• The R142A's external speakers have a narrower rim around the edges than those on the R142, and would later apply to the R143 and the R160 models.
• The interior speakers on the R142A are recessed into the curved portion of the ceiling with only lines of pinholes to denote their location while the R142's speakers are located in the midline of the cab on the ceiling and are not concealed.
• The R142A's drives have a characteristic sound under acceleration and deceleration that is distinct from that of the R142 because of different AC traction motors. The R142's use Alstom AC traction motors, which are very similar to the ones used on the R160A cars and some of the R160B cars, while the R142A's use Bombardier AC traction motors which are identical to the ones used on the R143 cars.
• B cars have traction motor at number one end.
• The R142A's cab ends are one piece, while the destination sign area and window section are two separate pieces on the R142.
• The LCD destination signs between the two doors of each side of cars as well as interior LED passenger information signs are different. The LCD destination signs and LED interior passenger information signs on the R142 turn-off when changing, while the ones on the R142A switch without turning off.
• R142 cars have a dot-matrix LCD route number display and mosaic LCD destination on the side destination signs, while R-142A cars have a mosaic LCD for both the route and destination on the side destination signs.
• The interior red door indicator lights on R142s are directly above the doors near its corners and point downwards towards the floor while the R142A's interior red door indicator lights are located just to the left and right of the doors and point towards the opposite wall.
• The flashing orange closing door lights are slightly larger on the R142s.
• The car end lexan glass windows open through a few tiny screws on R142s compared to the keyhole on the R142As.
• The trucks on the cars are different. The R142 utilizes Bombardier trucks while the R142A utilizes Kawasaki trucks.
• The two cars have different HVAC systems. The R142's HVAC is noticeably louder.
• The R142A contain extra advertising panels within the car, which the R142 does not have.
• The Front Windows on the R142s are a little more curvy than while the R142As have square-like curves.
• The windows on the front doors of the R142As are smaller than those on the front doors of the R142s.
• The door handles on the car end doors leading from one car to another are different on the R142s and R142As.

Showing the difference between the motor and trailer trucks.

See also

• R142 (New York City Subway car)
• R188 (New York City Subway car)

External links

• Kawasaki - R142A
• nycsubway.org - NYC Subway Cars: R142
• Educated » Blog Archive » Subway Sounds: R-142A
• Car Status/Assignment
• Train Set Assignments