R142A (New York City Subway car)

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Not to be confused with R142 (New York City Subway car) or R143 (New York City Subway car).

R142A
An R142A train on the 4 line approaching 161st Street–Yankee Stadium
Interior of an R142A car
In service2000–present
ManufacturerKawasaki Rail Car Company
Built at
Family nameNTT (new technology train)
ReplacedAll Redbirds (R26–R36)
Constructed1999–2002[1] & 2004–2005[2]
Entered service
  • July 10, 2000 (revenue service testing)
  • November 2, 2000 (official service)
RefurbishedR188s: 2010–2016
(cars 7211–7590 only)
Number built600
Number in service220 (180 in revenue service during rush hours)
(380 in revenue service as R188s)
Formation5-car sets (2 A cars and 3 B cars)
Fleet numbers7211–7810 (as built)
7591–7810 (currently, after R188 conversion)
Capacity176 (A car)
188 (B car)
OperatorsNew York City Subway
DepotsJerome Yard[3][4]
Service(s) assigned"4" train[5][6]
Assignments as of December 23, 2023
Specifications
Car body constructionStainless steel with fiberglass end bonnets
Train length513 ft 4 in (156.46 m)
Car length51 ft 4 in (15.65 m)[7]
Width8 ft 7+3⁄16 in (2,621 mm)
Height11 ft 10+5⁄8 in (3,623 mm)
Floor height3 ft 7+3⁄4 in (1.11 m)
Platform height3 ft 7+3⁄4 in (1.11 m)
EntryLevel
Doors6 sets of 54 inch wide side doors per car
Maximum speed55 mph (89 km/h) Service
66 mph (110 km/h) Design
Weight73,300 lb (33,200 kg) (A car)
67,800 lb (30,800 kg) (B car)
Traction systemPWM 2-level IGBT–VVVF (Bombardier MITRAC)
Traction motors2 or 4[a] × Bombardier 1508C 150 hp (111.855 kW) 3-phase AC induction motor
Power output2,100 hp (1,565.970 kW) (5-car set)
Acceleration2.5 mph/s (4.0 km/(h⋅s))
Deceleration3.0 mph/s (4.8 km/(h⋅s)) (full service)
3.2 mph/s or 5.1 km/(h⋅s) (emergency)
AuxiliariesSAFT 195 AH battery (B car)
Electric system(s)Third rail, 625 V DC
Current collector(s)Contact shoe
Braking system(s)Dynamic/Regenerative braking propulsion system; WABCO RT-96 tread brake system
Safety system(s)Dead man's switch, Train stop
Headlight typeHalogen light bulb LED light bulb
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The R142A is the second order of new technology cars (NTTs) for the A Division of the New York City Subway.[8] These cars were built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in the U.S. at Yonkers, New York and Lincoln, Nebraska, and in Japan at Kobe, Hyōgo. They replaced the Redbird trains, including the R26, R28, R29, R33, R33S, and R36. The R142A fleet initially comprised 600 cars, arranged as five-car units.

The first R142As were delivered on December 20, 1999. The cars initially experienced minor issues while undergoing testing, but entered service on July 10, 2000, as part of its 30-day revenue acceptance test. After successful completion, the cars entered revenue service by November 2, 2000.[9] The fleet initially ran on the 4 and 6 services of the IRT Lexington Avenue Line. The R142As, along with the R142s, are the first New York City Subway cars to feature recorded announcements. In 2010–2016, 380 cars (7211–7590) were retrofitted with communications-based train control (CBTC) for the automation of the Flushing Line and became part of the R188 fleet, leaving 220 cars (7591–7810) in the R142A fleet. In January 2019, the MTA has proposed mid-life upgrades to the remainder of the R142As.

Description[edit]

The R142As are numbered 7591–7810. They were originally numbered 7211–7810 when built, but cars 7211–7590 were converted into R188s.[10][11][12]

The R142A contract was divided into three sub-orders: 400 main order cars (7211–7610), 120 option order cars (7611–7730), and 80 cars built under a supplemental contract (R142S) in 2004–2005[2][1] to supplement the R142As (7731–7810). Regardless of sub-order differences, all R142As are mechanically and physically identical to each other.[13]

Currently, all R142As are maintained at the Jerome Yard and assigned to the 4.[14][15]

Features[edit]

The LCD sign of an R142A car
The electronic strip map in an R142A car

The R142As feature Bombardier MITRAC propulsion systems, electronic braking, automatic climate control, electronic strip maps, interior and exterior electronic displays,[16] and an on-board intercom system. The traction motors that are present on the R142As were later used for the R143 and R188 fleets; the same traction motors would also be used for the Type 8 light rail vehicles on the Green Line of the MBTA and the CQ31x rail fleet of the MARTA rail system. The R142 and the R142A were partly designed by Antenna Design.[17][18]

The R142As are divided up into five-car sets, in the A-B-B-B-A configuration, with the two A cars (cab cars) on the ends, and three B cars (non-cab cars) in the middle. Trains consist of two five-car sets coupled together, making up a ten-car train. Like all other A-Division cars, each car has three sets of doors per side.[19] Like the R110As, the R142As feature wider doors than past A-Division equipment, with 54-inch side doors (about 9 inches narrower than the R110As' 63-inch doors, but 4 inches wider than the R62/As' 50-inch doors). All car ends have windows, allowing passengers to see through to the next car, except cab ends, where the cab walls prevent such visibility. The R142A car bodies are constructed from stainless steel.[20]

The R142As and R142s are the first New York City Subway cars to feature recorded announcements.[16] All passenger cars built after them also use this feature. The R142As are visually very similar to the R142s and R188s, but due to electrical incompatibilities, the three types are not interoperable; only converted R142As that feature CBTC can interoperate with the R188s.

Experimental features[edit]

From late 2017 to late 2018, the interiors of the electronic sign boxes on cars 7691–7692 were retrofitted with LCD screens, replacing the MTA Arts for Transit cards usually located there. Several R160s were previously retrofitted with this feature. The screens were similar to the interior LED screens on the R143s, except that the R142As' screens had the capabilities to display multiple colors instead of only red, orange, and green.[21][better source needed]

History[edit]

Delivery[edit]

The first ten R142As, 7211–7220, were delivered on December 20, 1999.[22] The cars were placed into service on the 6 on July 10, 2000, as part of its 30-day revenue acceptance test, after several months of non-revenue service testing and the resolving of all issues.[23][24] After successful completion, it entered revenue service on November 2, 2000.[25] The R142A fleet originally only ran on the 6; the first R142As assigned to the 4 started running on July 25, 2002.[26]

During delivery, there were minor issues reported with the R142s and the R142As.[27]

By October 29, 2002, all R142As would have entered passenger service.

In mid-2003, the MTA purchased a supplemental order of 80 additional R142As (7731–7810) for service increases.[28] These cars were constructed and delivered in 2004–2005, and by June 2005, all were in service.

Post-delivery[edit]

Cars 7211–7590 (a total of 380 cars) have been retrofitted with CBTC for the Flushing Line CBTC service and were converted to R188s.[10][11][12] The first R142As (7211–7220) were sent out to the Kawasaki Rail Car plant in Yonkers in 2011 for conversion to R188s.[29][30] The last R142As (7581–7590) to be sent to the Kawasaki Rail Car plant were removed from service on March 18, 2016, and by the next month had also been sent to the plant.[31]

Cars 7591–7810 (the remaining 220 cars) are still part of the R142A fleet and will be retrofitted with CBTC hardware in the future.[32]: 24  To prepare for the arrival of the R62As for use on the 6 train, 65 unconverted R142As (7591–7595 & 7611–7670) were transferred from the 6 to the 4 in November 2017,[33] and the last 15 R142As (7596–7610) were transferred from the 6 to the 4 on May 22, 2018.[34]

In January 2019, the MTA proposed mid-life upgrades to several train subsystems in the R142 and R142A fleets. These included changes to the HVAC, propulsion, and door systems, based on installations of these systems in the R188 fleet. Upgrades also included the conversion of the remaining R142A fleet to be compatible with communications-based train control, in conjunction with subway signal upgrades along the IRT Lexington Avenue Line and IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line.[35][32]: 24 

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ 4 on A cars, 2 on B & C cars

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Chiasson, George (December 2002). "Redbird Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 45 (12). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Chiasson, George (April 2005). "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 48 (4). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  3. ^ "Car/Yard Assignments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2019.
  4. ^
    • 'Subdivision 'A' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
    • 'Subdivision 'B' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
  5. ^ "Subdivision 'A' Car Assignments: Cars Required December 23, 2023" (PDF). The Bulletin. 67 (2). Electric Railroaders' Association. December 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  6. ^ 'Subdivision 'A' Car Assignment Effective December 23, 2023'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 23, 2023.
  7. ^ "New York City Transit Authority R142A". Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "Some New Subway Cars Put Into Service Monday" Archived May 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine NY1–10 July 2000. Retrieved on April 24, 2008
  9. ^ "R-142A Datasheet from NYCT Revenue and Non-Revenue Car Drawings". Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  10. ^ a b "NYCT Cars - Current Car Fleet". thejoekorner.com. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Image: dsc05585j.jpg, (3456 × 2592 px)". img821.imageshack.us. January 20, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  12. ^ a b "Image: dsc05671vd.jpg, (3456 × 2592 px)". img109.imageshack.us. February 7, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  13. ^ Chiasson, George (July 2003). "IRT Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 46 (7). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  14. ^ "Subdivision "A" Car Assignments" (PDF). The Bulletin. 61 (7). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 16. July 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  15. ^ "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 61 (8). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 4. August 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  16. ^ a b Boldt, Roger; Board, National Research Council (U S. ) Transportation Research (2000). Information Technology Update for Transit. Transportation Research Board. p. 98. ISBN 9780309068642. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  17. ^ Chan, Sewell (November 30, 2005). "New Subway Cars Promise All Kinds of Information". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
  18. ^ "Antenna: News". antennadesign.com. Archived from the original on November 2, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  19. ^ Manhattan East Side Transit Alternatives Study (MESA): Environmental Impact Statement. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 1999. pp. 9D-20, 9D-21. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  20. ^ Seaton, Charles (January 1, 2001). "NYCT's New 'Millennium' Cars Enter Service". Metro Magazine. Archived from the original on October 16, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  21. ^ NovaBus5189. "On Board Brooklyn Bridge Bound R142A (6) Train From 149th Street-GC to 86th Street w/ LCD Screen". YouTube. Retrieved September 4, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Korman, Joseph (February 2000). "NYCT Cars - The Next Generation". www.thejoekorner.com. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  23. ^ "Facts and Figures". web.mta.info. Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  24. ^ "Some New Subway Cars Put Into Service Monday". ny1.com. NY1 News. July 10, 2000. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  25. ^ "R-142A Datasheet from NYCT Revenue and Non-Revenue Car Drawings". Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
  26. ^ "nycsubway.org: R-142 / R-142A Delivery Notes". www.nycsubway.org. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
  27. ^ Kennedy, Randy (March 17, 2001). "New Subway Cars Show Flaws And Are Removed for Repairs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  28. ^ Chiasson, George (June 2003). "Redbird Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 46 (6). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  29. ^ Chiasson, George (September 2011). "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 54 (9). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  30. ^ Chiasson, George (February 2012). "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 55 (2). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  31. ^ "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 59 (10). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 8. October 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  32. ^ a b "Capital Program Oversight Committee Meeting" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority. January 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  33. ^ "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 61 (2). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 6. February 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  34. ^ "New York City Subway Car Update" (PDF). The Bulletin. 61 (8). Electric Railroaders' Association, Incorporated: 4. August 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
  35. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "MTA Board - 01/21/2020 Live Webcast". YouTube.

External links[edit]

Media related to R142A (New York City Subway car) at Wikimedia Commons

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