So called "R" types cover only equipment purchased for the IND from its inception and purchased for all divisions after city ownership. The first class purchased after city ownership were the R10s.

Between 1985 and 1989 some trains on the IRT lines were painted red, giving them the name redbirds. Most of them were replaced by new, more modern subway trains between 2000 and 2004.

What does "R" stand for?

There is no agreement as to what the "R" in the contract number originally stood for. Various sources claim "revenue," "rolling stock" or "rapid transit."

• Revenue in transit equipment parlance means passenger equipment. When carrying passengers such equipment is said to be "in revenue service." However, "R" contracts for the IND included non-revenue equipment from the very beginning. R1 was the contract for the car bodies of the first IND cars and R2 the running gear; but R3 cars were service cars and R8s included a crane car, four flat cars and two money collection cars. Many later R contracts were also for non-revenue equipment, such as R23, 30 hopper (ballast carrying) cars for the maintenance of way department.
• Rolling stock is another choice., but the nature of rolling stock is that it rolls on rails. R24 and R25 were for wheel truing machines, devices that help keep subway wheels round; R64 was for door operator mechanisms; R129 was for overhead cranes in shops (to lift and move car bodies and other equipment); and so on.
• Rapid transit is the only explanation that covers all the equipment purchased as it is all for the rapid transit division; but this is the least popular choice.

This table lists all municipally-purchased cars ("R-types") that have ran on the New York Subway from 1932 to the present.

Notes

• All IND/BMT cars are 60' long unless noted.

• All IRT cars are 51'.

• All cars R32 and after are stainless steel

• Cars from 1960-70 are married pairs (2-car sets), R44/46 "ABBA" linked sets, all others single (as noted)

• Air conditioning standard on all cars R42 and later. R38's 4140-49 and R40's 4350-4549 also delivered with A/C. R32 & R38's 3950-4139 rebuilt with A/C.

• "Number of cars" is the total number built per model and does not account for cars wrecked, scapped, etc.

• Redbirds are R26, 28, 29, 33 and 36.

• Year listed is year built and/or delivered. Year entered service may be up to 1-2 years after date given.

• When a line letter or number is given in parenthesis () in the "lines currently on" column, the particular car model is currently not in regularly scheduled service on that route but may run again and cars of that model can be found at yards and locations along that line (in storage) or spare use.

Builders

• ACF-American Car & Foundry, Berwick, Pennsylvania

• Bombardier-Montreal, Quebec, Plattsburgh, New York, Auburn, New York, Barre, Vermont, La Pocatiere, Quebec, Chicago, Illinois

• Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Kawasaki-Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Rail Car divsion, Kobe, Japan; Yonkers, New York

• Pullman Standard-Chicago, Illinois, Gary, Indiana

• St. Louis-St. Louis Car Co, Saint Louis, Missouri

• Westinghouse/Amrail-a joint venture between Westinghouse, USA; Alstom, France; ANF Industie and Bombardier, Canada.

External Links

• NYCSubway.org New York City Subway Cars (http://www.nycsubway.org/cars)
• Complete R-series roster (http://www.nycsubway.org/cars/bytype.html)
• R-class cars 1932- (http://thejoekorner.quuxuum.org/carsrtyp.html)
• R-contract list (http://thejoekorner.quuxuum.org/rroster.html)