R4 (New York City Subway car)

R4
An R4 subway car on display at the New York Transit Museum
Interior of R4 484.
Manufacturer	American Car and Foundry
Constructed	1932-33
Scrapped	1977
Number built	500
Number preserved	4
Number scrapped	496
Fleet numbers	400-899
Capacity	56
Operator	Independent Subway System New York City Transit Authority
Specifications
Car body construction	Riveted Steel
Car length	60 feet, 21⁄2 inches (18.35 m)
Width	10 feet (3.05 m)
Height	12 feet, 15⁄8 inches (3.70 m)
Doors	8
Maximum speed	55 miles (89 km) per hour
Weight	84,503 lb (38.3 tonnes)
Acceleration	1.75mph/s
Power output	190 hp (142 kW) per traction motor
Electric system(s)	Top running third rail (600 Volts DC)
Current collection method	Contact Shoe
Braking system(s)	WABCO Schedule AMUE with UE-5 universal valve, ME-23 brake stand, and simplex clasp brake rigging
Coupling system	WABCO H2A
Gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

An R4 subway car on display at the Seashore Trolley Museum.

R4 is the contract number for the second order of standard subway cars purchased for the IND division of the New York City Subway. They were built by American Car and Foundry Company between 1932 and 1933, and were practically identical to the original R1 order. The R4s had a slightly different side door panel than the R1, adding small handle notches below the door window. The 500 R4s were numbered 400-899 to continue the R1's sequence of numbers.

Note: The R5 contract order was for trucks and motors for R4 fleet. In 1932, each new car cost $30,633 for the carbody under contract R4.

Notes

• In 1946, 744 and 484 were outfitted with "bullseye" lighting and an experimental PA system.
• In 1962, 467 became the first of the first-generation IND subway cars to be retrofitted with sealed beam headlights.

Preservation

• Car 401 has been preserved by Railway Preservation Corp. and restored
• Car 484 has been preserved by the New York Transit Museum and restored
• Car 800 has been preserved by the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, Maine and is used in various trips at their museum. It is undergoing restoration, including repainting.
• Car 825 has been stored at the Trolley Museum of New York in Kingston, New York. It is not operational, but is repainted on a regular basis.

R-4 Specifications

• Car Builder: American Car and Foundry
• Car Body: Riveted Steel
• Unit Numbers: 400-899 (motorized single units)
• Fleet: 500 cars
• Car Length: 60 feet, 2¹⁄₂ inches (18.35 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3.05 m)
• Car Height: 12 feet, 1⁵⁄₈ inches (3.70 m)
• Total Weight: 84,503 lb (38,330 kg)
• Track Gauge: 4 feet, 8¹⁄₂ inches (1435 mm)
• Propulsion System:
• Motors: General Electric (GE) 714 A-1, A-2 DC Motors (2 per motor truck)
• Motor Power: 190 horsepower (142 kW) per motor
• Braking System: WABCO Schedule AMUE with UE-5 universal valve, ME-23 brake stand, and simplex clasp brake rigging
• Air Compressor: WABCO D-3-F
• Coupler Type: WABCO H2A
• Total seats: 56
• Cab arrangement: Half-width operator's cab at each end; conductor controls on exterior

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