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The R44 was the first 75 foot car for the New York Subway. The reason why 75' cars were introduced for IND and BMT service is that 8 75' cars can equal a 10-car train of 60' cars. In 1971 the R44 debuted, being a different car from previous models.
These were the last subway cars built by St. Louis Car Company, which in 1974, left the rail transit car business after the R44 order was completed.
These cars, unlike older ones were single or in pairs, were linked in ABBA sets. A cars were even number cars with cabs. B cars were odd-numbers, no cabs.
This system continued onto the subsequent R46 cars.
The R44 was the first subway car in which a warning tone sounded immediately before the doors begin to close as the train prepares to leave the station; the tone consists of two notes which are often described as "bim-bam" since they are the same as the first two notes of the Westminster Chimes.
The R44 was rebuilt in 1991-1992. They are numbered 5202-5479. Currently they are on the A-8 Avenue Express, as well as the Rockaway Shuttle and Staten Island Railway.
Related Topics
External Links
[nycsubway.org http://www.nycsubway.org/cars/r44.html]
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