nycsubway.org: The Independent Fleet (1932-1939) (2024)

The pre-war fleet of subway cars built for the city's IndependentSubway under contracts R-1, R-4, R-6, R-7, and R-9 (collectively knownby subway fans nowadays as the R-9s or "arnines") consisted of 1,703nearly identical cars, numbered 100-1802, delivered between 1930 and1940. When the first order of 300 cars, under contract R-1, wasannounced, theElectric Railway Journal reported in November 1928:

The New York City Board of Transportation announced today that it will soon advertise for bids for the construction of 300 steel cars for service on the Eighth Avenue-Central Park West-Washington Heights line of the new subway system. ... For nearly a year, the members of the board and its engineers have been consulting and conducting research on the design of a steel car. As a result it is expected that the cars of the city's new subway system will afford greater capacity and facility, will be faster in operation and have less crowding for the amount of traffic anticipated than other cars now in use in the city.

The new cars, as designed, will be 60 ft. 6 in. long, 10 ft. wide and 12 ft. high. The length will be 9 ft. and 2 in. longer than the Interborough Rapid Transit Company cars and about 7 ft. shorter than the single steel cars now used by the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit company. They will permit easy movement of passengers through the end doors between cars, while the train is in motion. The width and height of the new cars will be the same as the width and height ofthe Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit company cars. The new cars will have four double doors on each side, each doorway being 3 ft. 10 in. wide. ...

The arrangement of the seats is somewhat similar to the arrangement now in existence in the B.M.T. cars, but in the city's new subway cars there is to be 2 in. more knee room between crossseats than in the B.M.T. cars. Each car will seat 60 passengers, and when filled with a standing load, each car will have a capacity of 282 passengers. The station platforms are 660 ft. in length, enough to accommodate a train of eleven cars, nearly 30 per cent more than the longest B.M.T. train and 55 per cent more than the present Interborough trains of ten cars each.

The cars will be provided with white-enameled hand straps in front of the seats and vertical stanchions near the doors. The seats will be of heavy, natural-colored rattan. Illuminated route or destination signs will be installed on the sides and at both ends of cars. These signs will carry a designated route number indicating the particular line the train is operating over similar to route numbers now in use on some of the bus lines. Each car will be equipped with five ceiling fans. The equipment of each car such as doors, fans, lights, etc., will be connected to permit operation from one or more positions between cars on the train.

The Eighth Avenue line of the Independent wasn't to open until 1932,and the line to Queens not until 1933. Without a subway line to runthem on, the first delivery of R-1 cars was tested on the BMT's SeaBeach line in 1931. In October, 1931, a second order of identicalcars was placed. Electric Railway Journal reported:

The cost of 300 additional [R-4] cars fully equipped for service on the... new city subway system will be about 27 per cent less than that of the 300 cars [R-1] ordered eighteen months ago, according to the Board of Transportation.... The lowest bid of $6,326,400 for the construction of 300 was submitted by the American Car & Foundry Company, the builder of the first 300 cars. Board of Transportation engineers calculate that the contract awards on the basis of the lowest bids would provide 300 fully equipped cars for $8,546,400, or $28,488 per car, as compared with $11,376,397, or $37,921 per car, for the order of eighteen months ago.

Further orders for nearly identical cars were placed under contractsR-6 (three subcontracts), R-7 (four subcontracts) and R-9 (twosubcontracts). Most of the cars were retired by 1970, with a fewsoldiering on until March 31, 1977, when the remaining cars ofcontract R-9 were operating on the BMT Eastern Division (today's Jline).

Several cars of the "Arnine" fleet have been preserved on NYCTproperty, or at other railroad museums. Cars 100, 484, and 1575 werethe core of the New York Transit Museum's initial exhibit when themuseum opened in 1976. These cars remained on static exhibit thereuntil 2003, when these three cars operated a charity fan trip. Since2003, several other "Arnine" cars have been restored to operablecondition, and the museum train now consists of: 100, 381, 401, 484,1000, 1300, 1575, 1802. Cars 103, 923, and 925 are also retained onthe NYCT property for parts or future restoration. Operable "Arnines"are also included on the rosters of the Seashore Trolley Museum (800,1440) and the Shore Line Trolley Museum (1689). See below for moredetails of preserved cars.

NumberNotes...Several cars converted to work motor service, numbers M520-M529....Several cars converted to work motor service, numbers M503-M506, M551-M556, M900-M920....100 cars of the R9 fleet underwent work in the mid-1970s pertaining to the air compressors. This was done to test the viability of extending the life of the fleet. There would be five groups of 20 cars each, with the following modifcations made:

A-00 - A-19 will get new air piping and new D-3 air compressors;B-20 - B-39 will have air lines cleaned and new D-3 compressors;C-40 - C-59 will get new air lines and overhauled D3F air compressors;D-60 - D-79 will have air lines cleaned and overhauled compressors;E-80 - B-99 retain serviceable compressors and a record of low airconsumption.The modified cars could then only run with like-modified mates. The renumbered cars are listed below:A-00 ex-1800; A-01 ex-1799; A-02 ex-1798; A-03 ex-1797; A-04 ex-1796;A-05 ex-1755; A-06 ex-1754; A-07 ex-1753; A-08 ex-1752; A-09 ex-1751;A-10 ex-1737; A-11 ex-1789; A-12 ex-1779; A-13 ex-1772; A-14 ex-1787;A-15 ex-1659; A-16 ex-1654; A-17 ex-1655; A-18 ex-1651; A-19 ex-1658;B-20 ex-1709; B-21 ex-1702; B-22 ex-1703; B-23 ex-1705; B-24 ex-1717;B-25 ex-1720; B-26 ex-1734; B-27 ex-1727; B-28 ex-1730; B-29 ex-1725;B-30 ex-1735; B-31 ex-????; B-32 ex-1742; B-33 ex-1740; B-34 ex-1750;B-35 ex-1743; B-36 ex-1757; B-37 ex-1733; B-38 ex-1748; B-39 ex-1741;C-40 ex-1673; C-41 ex-1674; C-42 ex-1664; C-43 ex-1667; C-44 ex-1679;C-45 ex-1684; C-46 ex-1680; C-47 ex-1675; C-48 ex-1685; C-49 ex-1683;C-50 ex-1657; C-51 ex-1650; C-52 ex-1672; C-53 ex-1652; C-54 ex-1656;C-55 ex-1661; C-56 ex-1662; C-57 ex-1663; C-58 ex-1665; C-59 ex-1670;D-60 ex-1711; D-61 ex-1708; D-62 ex-1706; D-63 ex-1704; D-64 ex-1707;D-65 ex-1712; D-66 ex-1721; D-67 ex-1713; D-68 ex-1718; D-69 ex-1722;D-70 ex-1719; D-71 ex-1714; D-72 ex-1716; D-73 ex-1715; D-74 ex-1732;D-75 ex-1726; D-76 ex-1723; D-77 ex-1729; D-78 ex-????; D-79 ex-????;E-80 ex-1686; E-81 ex-1687; E-82 ex-1691; E-83 ex-1724; E-84 ex-1728;E-85 ex-1738; E-86 ex-1739; E-87 ex-1746; E-88 ex-1747; E-89 ex-1749;E-90 ex-1758; E-91 ex-1761; E-92 ex-1762; E-93 ex-1767; E-94 ex-1776;E-95 ex-1778; E-96 ex-1781; E-97 ex-1792; E-98 ex-1795; E-99 ex-1801.

Image 68877
(187k, 1024x687)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Hewes Street

Image 68878
(248k, 1024x691)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Marcy Avenue

Image 68879
(138k, 1024x671)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Chambers Street/World Trade Center

100-144Included carbon manganese side sill stiffeners.100Operational. New York Transit Museum collection. Used in R-1/R-9 museum train. Used on first R-type fan trip in many years on 6/8/2003.

Image 36231
(261k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Richard Panse
Location: Livonia Avenue

Image 95047
(121k, 820x620)
Photo by: Gary Chatterton
Location: 42nd Street/Bryant Park

Image 115570
(175k, 1044x701)
Photo by: Richard Panse

Image 133165
(431k, 1044x732)
Photo by: Zach Summer
Location: 2nd Avenue

103Operational. Owned by Railway Preservation Corp. Part of "Arnine" museum train. Had experimental Axiflow fans installed in 1947. Restored to operational service in 2017-2019, and operated first Nostalgia Train trip on December 29, 2019.

Image 1775
(200k, 1024x684)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Avenue U

Image 24458
(170k, 1044x701)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

Image 119323
(235k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Robert Mencher
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 119348
(146k, 1024x677)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue

165This car was cut in half, lengthened to 75', and renumbered XC675. It was run throughout the system (and SIRT) in order to find areas of tight clearance, in anticipation of ordering the R44 fleet in 1971.

Image 1858
(509k, 1200x800)
Photo by: Steve Hoskins
Collection of: David Pirmann
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 39342
(199k, 1024x689)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard

170-176Cars converted in summer 1968 to alcohol sprayer cars, numbers AL470-AL476.

Image 1794
(196k, 1024x676)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 1795
(348k, 1200x800)
Collection of: David Pirmann
Location: Kings Highway

175Not operational. Seashore Trolley Museum collection. Stripped, truckless, and used only for storage. Two of its side doors were donated to the restoration of R-4 491.

Image 1796
(234k, 1044x695)
Photo by: David Pirmann

192This car was cut in half, lengthened to 75', and renumbered XC575. It was run throughout the system (and SIRT) in order to find areas of tight clearance, in anticipation of ordering the R44 fleet in 1971.

Image 1848
(190k, 1024x676)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Jefferson Avenue

Image 1855
(146k, 1024x674)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose
Location: Chambers Street/World Trade Center

212, 378, 472Scrapped after collision 2/17/1936.273Wrecked in early 1960, scrapped 6/27/1960.

Image 159543
(334k, 1024x651)
Collection of: Gerald Landau/William Mangahas
Location: 207th Street Yard

381Operational. Owned by Railway Preservation Corp., stored at Coney Island Yard. Used in R-1/R-9 museum train. Restored to operating condition in 2004 and used in the Transit Museum's museum train parade weekend of 10/23-24/2004.

Image 24455
(165k, 1044x701)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

Image 34134
(168k, 1044x701)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 100369
(98k, 820x620)
Photo by: Gary Chatterton
Location: Aqueduct/North Conduit Avenue

Image 133678
(367k, 1024x665)
Photo by: John Dooley
Location: 207th Street Yard

399Converted to work motor M-502, summer 1968.

Image 1833
(150k, 1024x672)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: McDonald Avenue (SBK)

401 (aka 491)Operational. New York Transit Museum collection. Used in R-1/R-9 museum train. Formerly used as a training car at Jamaica Yard and numbered 491. Was moved to Coney Island in 1998 for restoration. Two missing side doors were provided by R-1 175.

Image 1922
(60k, 640x480)
Photo by: Salaam Allah
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

Image 1924
(249k, 1024x657)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Jamaica Yard/Shops

Image 83246
(243k, 1044x699)
Photo by: Edward R. Coffey
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 130138
(252k, 1044x705)
Photo by: Lee Winson

404, 690, 973, 980Involved in collision near Church Avenue, 6/27/1967. 404, 973, 980 seriously damaged.467First first-generation IND subway car to be retrofitted with headlights, in 1962.484Operational. New York Transit Museum collection. Outfitted with "bullseye" lighting and experimental PA system in 1946. Used on the first R-type fan trip in many years on 6/8/2003.

Image 95617
(260k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Glenn L. Rowe
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 100550
(141k, 853x640)
Photo by: Michael Pompili
Location: Liberty Junction

Image 113346
(244k, 1044x701)
Photo by: Robert Taylor
Location: Howard Beach/JFK Airport

Image 130442
(391k, 1044x701)
Photo by: John Dooley

744Outfitted with "bullseye" lighting and experimental PA system in 1946.800Operational. Seashore Trolley Museum collection.

Image 1954
(175k, 1024x659)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: 181st Street

Image 1962
(665k, 1200x800)
Photo by: Todd Glickman

Image 1963
(391k, 1044x717)
Photo by: Mark S. Feinman

Image 37900
(308k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Richard Panse

825Not operational. Trolley Museum of New York collection.

Image 1964
(253k, 1044x704)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 1965
(377k, 1044x697)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 44511
(217k, 702x1044)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 132851
(80k, 600x450)
Photo by: Paul Polischuk

923, 925Not operational. Converted to revenue collection cars R247, R248. Owned by Railway Preservation Corp., stored at Coney Island Yard.

Image 83235
(282k, 1044x699)
Photo by: Edward R. Coffey
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 83244
(266k, 1044x699)
Photo by: Edward R. Coffey
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 83270
(251k, 1044x699)
Photo by: Michael Hodurski
Location: Coney Island Yard

Image 133932
(363k, 1024x681)
Photo by: John Dooley
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

978The carbody of R-6 978 lived at Golden's Deli, in the Staten Island Mall, 2845 Richmond Avenue, from 1985 to January 2012, when the deli closed. On 1/11/2012 the car was removed from the site. In 2020 a newspaper article in the Middletown, NY, Times Herald-Record revealed that the carbody has been relocated to a transportation enthusiast's private home in Warwick, NY.

Image 34228
(191k, 1024x687)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: 88th Street-Boyd Avenue

Image 95801
(196k, 1044x748)
Photo by: Khalis Ward
Location: Golden's Deli - Staten Island Mall

Image 95802
(203k, 1044x751)
Photo by: Khalis Ward
Location: Golden's Deli - Staten Island Mall

Image 112748
(96k, 512x384)
Photo by: Joe Korman
Location: Golden's Deli - Staten Island Mall

983The carbody of R-6-3 983 was recently rediscovered on private property in Jacksonville, FL. It was being used as a storage shed. In 2013, the car was purchased by, and transported to the Craggy Mountain Railroad in Woodfin NC, which will attempt to restore it.

Image 80682 (204k, 1024x680) Photo by: Daniel Herbin/www.metrojacksonville.com Location: Private Property, Jacksonville, FL	Image 80683 (219k, 1024x680) Photo by: Daniel Herbin/www.metrojacksonville.com Location: Private Property, Jacksonville, FL	Image 80684 (178k, 1024x680) Photo by: Daniel Herbin/www.metrojacksonville.com Location: Private Property, Jacksonville, FL	Image 80685 (124k, 1024x680) Photo by: Daniel Herbin/www.metrojacksonville.com Location: Private Property, Jacksonville, FL	Image 141417 (373k, 1044x785) Photo by: Rocky Hollifield Location: Craggy Mountain Line, Asheville NC
Image 141418 (270k, 1044x785) Photo by: Rocky Hollifield Location: Craggy Mountain Line, Asheville NC	Image 141423 (293k, 1044x785) Photo by: Rocky Hollifield Location: Craggy Mountain Line, Asheville NC	Image 146621 (177k, 1070x640) Photo by: Rocky Hollifield Location: Craggy Mountain Line, Asheville NC

986Collided with "A" train outside Hoyt St., 7/17/1970.1000Operational. Stored at Coney Island Yard for many years; owned by Railway Preservation Corp. Restored to operational status and operated first Nostalgia Train trip on 8/2/2009.

Image 83387
(325k, 1044x788)
Photo by: David-Paul Gerber
Location: Coney Island Shop/Overhaul & Repair Shop

Image 120289
(139k, 1024x658)
Photo by: Ed McKernan
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: 50th Street

Image 130134
(306k, 1044x705)
Photo by: Lee Winson

Image 133695
(350k, 1024x643)
Photo by: John Dooley
Location: 207th Street Yard

1079Scrapped, no other info available, 7/1958.1144Survives at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, England, United Kingdom. 1144 info page at BRC.

Image 2001 (209k, 1024x683) Photo by: Joe Testagrose Location: Avenue U	Image 2002 (55k, 640x480) Photo by: Terry Walden Collection of: Phil Marsh Location: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre	Image 2003 (69k, 480x640) Photo by: Terry Walden Collection of: Phil Marsh Location: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre	Image 2004 (49k, 640x480) Photo by: Terry Walden Collection of: Phil Marsh Location: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre	Image 152759 (450k, 1200x900) Photo by: Rob Morel Location: Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

1192Scrapped, no other info available, 8/1958.1208Car 1208 had been restored as part of the museum fleet but was scrapped in the 1980s. It would have been the only restored Pullman-Standard car in the museum fleet.

Image 2018
(199k, 1024x674)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: 160th Street (Demolished)

Image 2021
(223k, 1024x683)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: DeKalb Avenue

Image 2022
(300k, 1024x816)
Collection of: Ed Watson/Arthur Lonto Collection

Image 121369
(174k, 1024x683)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard

1236Accident at Church Ave. on 2/12/1973 with R40 4420; the R40 was demolished.1300Operational. Owned by Railway Preservation Corp.; stored at Coney Island Yard. Moved to 207th Street Yard in 2004 for restoration; ran first trip 8/21/2005 on a Transit Museum Nostalgia Train ride to the Rockaways.

Image 44891
(143k, 1024x680)
Photo by: Mike Bonte
Location: 207th Street Shop

Image 108804
(284k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Glenn L. Rowe
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 113344
(274k, 1044x701)
Photo by: Robert Taylor
Location: 80th Street-Hudson Street

Image 130129
(313k, 1044x679)
Photo by: Lee Winson

1440Operational. Seashore Trolley Museum collection.

Image 2090
(227k, 1024x677)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

Image 2099
(253k, 1024x692)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose
Location: Fresh Pond Road

Image 2261
(391k, 1044x707)
Photo by: Mark S. Feinman

Image 37884
(235k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Richard Panse

1575Operational. New York Transit Museum collection. Car 1575 was involved in a wreck in 1946, and was then overhauled into the R-10 prototype car. The prototype work involved body and interior only, not mechanics. 1575 re-entered service 6/30/1947, but was only able to run with other R-1/R-9 types, never with R-10 cars that it resembled on the exterior. Operated the first R-type fan trip in many years on 6/8/2003.

Image 25486
(130k, 1044x788)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: 179th Street

Image 42908
(174k, 1020x770)
Photo by: Amanda Marsh
Location: Brighton Beach

Image 100059
(165k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Glenn L. Rowe
Location: 207th Street Yard

Image 108802
(275k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Glenn L. Rowe
Location: 207th Street Yard

1689Operational. Shore Line Trolley Museum collection.

Image 34743
(252k, 1044x788)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 34745
(256k, 1044x788)
Photo by: David Pirmann

Image 86416
(226k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Vic Gordon

Image 104122
(216k, 1044x599)
Photo by: David Tropiansky

1761Runaway in East New York Yard, 12/3/1972. Repaired and returned to service.

Image 1868
(191k, 1024x691)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose
Location: 111th Street

Image 2316
(85k, 753x502)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose
Location: East New York Yard/Shops

Image 2317
(215k, 1024x660)
Photo by: Joe Testagrose
Location: East New York Yard/Shops

1801Not operational. New York State Museum collection, Albany, New York. Moved to the museum from Coney Island 1979 or 1980.

Image 2332
(184k, 1024x682)
Photo by: Steve Zabel
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Yard-Museum Yard

Image 2333
(160k, 1024x687)
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Broadway Junction

Image 2334
(189k, 1024x678)
Photo by: Doug Grotjahn
Collection of: Joe Testagrose
Location: Coney Island Shop/Overhaul & Repair Shop

Image 24789
(100k, 820x551)
Collection of: New York State Museum (Used by Permission)
Location: New York State Museum

1802Operational. Owned by Railway Preservation Corp. Stored at Coney Island Yard for many years. Restored to operating condition and operated with the other R-1/R-9 museum cars in holiday service beginning 11/27/2004.

Image 73330
(82k, 820x620)
Photo by: Gary Chatterton
Location: Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue

Image 77957
(259k, 1044x753)
Photo by: David Pirmann
Location: 23rd Street

Image 108694
(199k, 1044x700)
Photo by: Richard Panse

Image 108803
(285k, 1044x788)
Photo by: Glenn L. Rowe
Location: 207th Street Yard

nycsubway.org: The Independent Fleet (1932-1939) (2024)

References