R40A (New York City Subway car)
| R40A (New York City Subway car) | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Constructed | 1968-1969 |
| Number built | 200 |
| Number in service | 145 |
| Number scrapped | 55 (54 slants, 1 modified) |
| Specifications | |
| Car length | 60 ft (18.3 m) |
| Platform height | 3.76 ft (1.1 m) |
| Doors | 8 |
| Braking system(s) | WABCO "SMEE" Braking System, A.S.F. simplex unit cylinder clasp (tread) brake |
The R40A is a New York City Subway car order built by St. Louis Car Company in 1968–69. The order contains two forms, a slant version similar to the R40, and a "Modified" version similar to the R42.
The R40A is similar to the R40, but R40A was originally delivered with air conditioning units. As a result of the air conditioning, the standee poles are arranged in diagonal patterns rather than the straight line of the R40. The R40A slant version was the last 100 cars to be built with the end slant (numbers 4350-4449).
With the poorly conceived slant design having proven unsuccessful, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) had the last 100 R40 cars (generally known as the R40M series) built with a non-slant end. The end was redesigned by Sundberg-Ferar, and is identical to the non-slanted end on the R42. The R40M is called a modified or a straight R40 and is part of the R40A car order, consisting of cars numberered 4450-4549. Due to their similarities, the R40Ms and R42s frequently run together. Car 4460 is mated to R42 4665, as the mates of both cars were damaged in the Williamsburg bridge wreck of 1995.
As of December 2008, the slanted ends run on both the A and C, while all 100 of the modified cars run on the A and C.
In 1988–89 the R40s were rebuilt by Sumitomo in Elmira Heights, New York. The R160 fleet will replace all of the R40A fleet. The majority of slant-ended R40As have been retired.
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