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Difference between an R32 and an R38


Maddog

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Hey Guys-

 

I used to ride the (E) to work a lot. Back then the (E) was almost exclusively R32's. When waiting at 34st Penn Station, the (C) used to stop between (E) trains and the train cars used to look exactly the same. I only realized that they weren't R32's by reading this forum, and then later spotted R38 markings on the cars after looking around a little. What are the differences between the R32 and R38? As a passenger, I can tell you that inside and out they look almost exactly the same to the untrained eye.

 

Used to hate those cars, and now that the R38's are gone and the R32's few and far between, I find myself missing them...

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As compared to R32s, the R38s:

 

-Were made by St. Louis Car

 

-Have the corrugations come up halfway of the car's height.

 

-Have different floor interiors

 

-Had a plate on the top half of the end cars. (Front/back)

 

-Had different propulsion systems. (<-Not too sure about that one)

 

That's mostly about it.

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the difference can be noticed by the currogations, interior lighting, the flip dot, the pantograph gates, and interior door trims and also the poles. the R38 has 6 standing poles in a car while an R32 had 8 standing poles. what i meant about the currogations is for example the R38's currogations stop at the window.

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Here's a photo comparison:

 

R32 Exterior

 

R323676.jpg

 

R38 Exterior

 

DSCF3671.jpg

 

R32 Interior

 

DSCF2028.jpg

 

R38 Interior

 

DSCF3680.jpg

 

 

 

Also, R32s have Westinghouse propulsion (the sound R42s, R44s, R62As, and R68/As make when accelerating) while the R38s had GE propulsion (the sound R46s and R62s make while accelerating).

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The short answer is that the R32 has corrugations (ridges) that run entirely up and down its body. The R38's corrugations only go about halfway up.

 

On the front of the car, the R38 features a large New York City Transit Authority logo opposite the forward facing cab window. The R32 does not feature this.

 

There are numerous mechanical and technical differences but none worth getting into here. As long as you can tell the two things above, you will be able to identify the difference between the two.

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Here's a photo comparison:

 

DSCF3680.jpg

 

 

Also, R32s have Westinghouse propulsion (the sound R42s, R44s, R62As, and R68/As make when accelerating) while the R38s had GE propulsion (the sound R46s and R62s make while accelerating).

 

Wow, that interior makes me miss those cars even more.

 

But on a side note, the R32 Phase 1s has the GE propulsion IIRC, while the R32 Phase 2s had Westinghouse propulsion. Correct me if I'm wrong, although I don't know if I'm confusing the propulsion with the motors.

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So that means I've ridden an R38 before, that was the last subway car I've ever ridden and I only took it one stop from Penn Station to the Port Authority Bus Terminal (going to DC/MD) on the (C). Those things aren't smooth at all lol.

 

Can someone tell me what the difference is between an R143 & R160?

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Wow, that interior makes me miss those cars even more.

 

But on a side note, the R32 Phase 1s has the GE propulsion IIRC, while the R32 Phase 2s had Westinghouse propulsion. Correct me if I'm wrong, although I don't know if I'm confusing the propulsion with the motors.

 

The "propulsion" refers to the switch group underneath the car. The easy way to think of a group is that it makes up the high voltage contacts underneath the car that accelerate and cut off power to the motors as the train moves. Sometimes the Group is called a "controller", but that is different from a "master controller" which is of course the train operator's control in the cab for the train.

 

The motors are what make the sound you hear.

 

R32 Phase I's and II's:

GE SCM Propulsion control

WH motors

WH Master Controller (Phase II) GE Master Controller (Phase I)

 

R38

GE SCM Propulsion control

WH or GE motors

 

Unfortunately this is one of the areas where Nycsubway.org is not going to be 100% accurate as the car "datasheets" that appear on that site are pre-GOH so you will still see references to WH-Cam control even though today everything of the older equipment uses WH E-Cam or GE SCM control, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

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So that means I've ridden an R38 before, that was the last subway car I've ever ridden and I only took it one stop from Penn Station to the PABT on the (C).

 

Can someone tell me what the difference is between an R143 & R160?

 

The R160's have FIND equipment

The R143's all operate with 8 car for the (L) train

R143's #8101-8312

R160's #8313-9973

Sorry to go off topic btw.

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Can you explain that?

 

Um, the grills on the R38 go from the bottom to the height roughly the same as the pantograph gates where the R32s grills go from bottom to top. I think that's the message being conveyed.

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Simple answer to both questions (for the average commuter)...

 

-The R38 numbers were in a different font than the other types. (sort of like the arnines)

 

 

As for the R143 & R160...

 

-The R143 sounds like a R142A ((6) train) and the R160 sounds like a R142 ((2) or (5) train)...if you're on the ones that don't sound like either, its also a R160

-The flag on the R143 is BELOW the (MTA) logo on the front car while the R160 flag is ABOVE the (MTA) logo

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