R1

R1 (New York City Subway car)
R1 #100 in special holiday service, December 2007, on the V train at 23rd Street
Manufacturer	American Car and Foundry Company
Built at	Berwick, Pennsylvania
Constructed	1930–1931
Number built	300
Number preserved	4
Number scrapped	296
Fleet numbers	100–399
Capacity	56 seats
Operator	Independent Subway System New York City Transit Authority
Specifications
Car body construction	Riveted steel
Car length	60 ft 6 in (18.44 m)
Width	10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
Height	12 ft 1.9375 in (3.71 m)
Floor height	3 ft 1.875 in (0.96 m)
Doors	8
Maximum speed	55 mph (89 km/h)
Weight	84,081 lb (38,139 kg)
Traction system	Westinghouse ABF type UP143B switch group, with XM-29 master controller using Westinghouse 570 D-5 traction motors (190 hp each). Two motors per car (both on motor truck, trailer truck not motorized).
Power output	190 hp (142 kW) per traction motor
Acceleration	1.75 mph/s (2.82 km/(h·s))
Power supply	600 V DC
Electric system(s)	third rail
Current collection method	Contact shoe (Top running)
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)

The R1 was the very first New York City Subway car type built for the IND. 300 cars were manufactured between 1930 and 1931 by American Car and Foundry Company, numbered 100 through 399. Future passenger stock orders – including contracts R4, R6, R7, R7A, and R9 – were virtually identical, with minor mechanical and cosmetic variations. Therefore, these car classes are frequently referred to collectively as Arnines, or R1-9s.

The R1s were also specifically sometimes referred to as City Cars.

They introduced several improvements to subway car design that greatly sped up the flow of passengers in and out of trains.

Service History and Preservation

The first R1 cars to see passenger service were twenty individual cars to serve for two 8 car trains plus spares that were placed in revenue service on the BMT Sea Beach Line from July to November, 1931 for testing and then returned to the IND the same year.^[1] The BMT was to have been paid by the City of New York for the testing but since they were fairly extensively used in service (made up as two 8-car trains), the BMT and City called it even.

Most R1s were retired by 1969-1970. Some R1s remained later into the 1970s. Following their removal from service, the majority of the fleet was scrapped, aside from a few work cars, which were used until the 1980s. However, a few cars have been preserved and remain today.

• Car 100 has been restored and is on display at the New York Transit Museum. It is the first car of the Arnine fleet, numerically.
• Car 103 has been preserved by Railway Preservation Corp. and is currently undergoing restoration at 207th Street Yard.
• Car 175 is at the Seashore Trolley Museum, where it is used for storage. It does not have trucks, and two of its side doors were donated to R4 401, which has been preserved by Railway Preservation Corp. and restored.
• Car 381 has been preserved by Railway Preservation Corp. and has been restored. It is currently stored at 207th Street Yard.

Description

The R1s were the first "R" type contract order (referring to the practice of naming a car class by the letter "R" - which stands for revenue - followed by a number derived from the actual contract number). Note: The R2 contract order was for trucks and motors for the R1 fleet. In 1930, each new car cost $39,201: $30,483 for the carbody under contract R1, and $8,718 for trucks and motors under contract R2.

R-1 Specifications

• Car Builder: American Car and Foundry
• Car Body: Riveted Steel
• Unit Numbers: 100-399 (motorized single units)
• Fleet: 300 cars 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m)
• Car Length: 60 feet 6 inches (18.44 m)
• Car Width: 10 feet (3.05 m)
• Car Height: 12 feet 1+¹⁵⁄₁₆ inches (3.71 m)
• Track Gauge: 4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in (1,435 mm)
• Total Weight: 84,081 lb (38,139 kg)
• Propulsion System: Westinghouse ABF type UP143B switch group, with XM-29 master controller
• Motors: Westinghouse 570 D-5 motors (both on motor truck, trailer truck not motorized)
• Motor Power: 190 horsepower (140 kW) each
• 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

^[2]

v t e New York City Subway revenue rolling stock Current B Division / SIR: R32 • R42 • R44 • R46 • R68 • R68A • R143 • R160A / B A Division: R62 • R62A • R142 • R142A • R188 Future B Division / SIR: R179 • R211 Retired (R-type) IND / BMT (B Division): R1 • R4 • R6 • R7 • R7A • R8A • R9 • R10 • R11/R34 • R16 • R27 • R30 • R30A • R38 • R40 • R40A • R110B IRT (A Division): R12 • R14 • R15 • R17 • R21 • R22 • R26 • R28 • R29 • R33 • R33 WF • R36 • R36 WF • R110A • Train of Many Colors Retired (private operators) IRT: Composite • Gibbs Hi-V • Deck Roof Hi-V • Hedley Hi-V • Steinway Lo-V • "Flivver" Lo-V • Standard Lo-V • World's Fair Lo-V BMT / SIR Elevated: BU cars • C-type • Q-type Queens car Subway: AB Standard • Bluebird Compartment Car • D-type Triplex • MS Multi-section car • SIRT ME-1 Never built R39