Favorite BMT/IND Subway Cars

[Union Tpke]

My favorite cars are the R32s I remember the having a lot of them. It's unfortunate that I'm not on the that often but I took pictures today. My second favorites are the R38s followed by the R40 slants. Then tied are the R40M and R42 which I also remember being on QBL. I actually like the screeching of the R32s. Someone on subchat posted that there should be a "train of many metals" 2 R32s, 2 R38s, 2 R40 slants, 2 R40 Modifieds, and 2 R42s.

 

 

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[MTA Bus]

My favorite IND/BMT subway cars are the R40s. I love the design of the train, and it was the only subway car that had a RFW low enough for me to see out of when I was a little kid.

[Union Tpke]

My favorite IND/BMT subway cars are the R40s. I love the design of the train, and it was the only subway car that had a RFW low enough for me to see out of when I was a little kid.

I think they should bring back the slant BUT at the end of a 4 or 5 car set and it would never be on the inside of a set. I like the design, what the slant design that the R40 came out to be with all the pantograph gates was not originally planned.

[R142Fan]

R142

[Union Tpke]

R142

This is for BMT/IND subway cars. 

[pelhamfrank dyre av]

my favorite bmt/ind subway cars are the R46's i remember i use to ride them on the    i also like blue stripes on them before they got removed

[realizm]

I've changed my mind after initially posting. My favorite car is the R40 Slant, miss those shits.

 

I still have memories of riding the as a kid.... when it was the 6th Ave/4th Ave Exp via West End. The trains would have hit 45+ in change going on the northbound before it hits the timers @ Union Street (between 36th and pacific run to the bridge). The ride leaves the stations in a mindless blur. Forget when it hits the 6th Avenue Express tracks. It's like a one shot 45 MPH.

[RollOver]

Delete.

[ScreechyFlange]

I've changed my mind after initially posting. My favorite car is the R40 Slant, miss those shits. :lol:I still have memories of riding the as a kid.... when it was the 6th Ave/4th Ave Exp via West End. The trains would have hit 45+ in change going on the northbound before it hits the timers @ Union Street (between 36th and pacific run to the bridge). The ride leaves the stations in a mindless blur. Forget when it hits the 6th Avenue Express tracks. It's like a one shot 45 MPH.

Those things used to scare me as a kid on the i used to think i was going to fly through the window because of how fast they were lol

[CenSin]

I'm a bit late to the poll, but for practical reasons, it's got to be the new technology trains. They simply move faster. Anyone with functional sensory organs can confirm this. If they trimmed the annoucements to shorten the dwell time in stations, I'd like it even better.

[CenSin]

Yeah, but the PA5's are using RGB's in the front, and this for small text, so there's no reason they can't use the color in the front just for one large letter bullet.

 

My avatar is the example of a compromise. Just use the color for the circle/diamond, and use white for the actual letter. White LED's are cheaper than RGB's. And that should avoid the blur of a single color from a distance.

The funny thing is, they can have 3 LCD screens (which are currently underused since people know what train they are on) inside every train car right next to the FINDs, but they skimp on the display at the front and end of the trains due to cost?

[Fresh Pond]

Gotta show love to my big French hippos, the R68s lol

[M. Friday 1986]

I remember voting for the R44 a while back, lol. For me it's always been a railcar synonymous with the line while growing up. The last train of these I rode on was back on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 heading to Lefferts, riding the first car. No lie, I remember this specifically because the T/O operating that train had this uncanny resemblance of Mel Gibson! He has his cab door open to let in the A/C.

 

Now that I think of this more, I think the R32-42 cars were for me, what defined the BMT/IND in the '90s and each class were rather interesting in their own right:

 

The R32s - for their durability and longevity. Always associate these with the line when they ran on the Concourse Line.

 

The R38s - for their speed (always rode 'em as they sped though the Cranberry Tubes).

 

The R40s - for in my opinion, one of the best RFWs ever experienced; always a joy to look through while riding these as a kid.

 

The R40M / 42s - I will always associate these with the , , and lines crossing the Williamsburg Bridge.

 

Pretty glad that each class has been preserved and that there's interest on running each on a 10-car set sometime in the future.

 

 

..........and on a separate note, I'm surprised the R27/30 cars weren't on this poll! The rides on the on these along Concourse...the propulsion...the sounds - things I remember very well about riding the subway in the early 1990s.

[Union Tpke]

I remember voting for the R44 a while back, lol. For me it's always been a railcar synonymous with the line while growing up. The last train of these I rode on was back on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010 heading to Lefferts, riding the first car. No lie, I remember this specifically because the T/O operating that train had this uncanny resemblance of Mel Gibson! He has his cab door open to let in the A/C.

 

Now that I think of this more, I think the R32-42 cars were for me, what defined the BMT/IND in the '90s and each class were rather interesting in their own right:

 

The R32s - for their durability and longevity. Always associate these with the line when they ran on the Concourse Line.

 

The R38s - for their speed (always rode 'em as they sped though the Cranberry Tubes).

 

The R40s - for in my opinion, one of the best RFWs ever experienced; always a joy to look through while riding these as a kid.

 

The R40M / 42s - I will always associate these with the , , and lines crossing the Williamsburg Bridge.

 

Pretty glad that each class has been preserved and that there's interest on running each on a 10-car set sometime in the future.

 

 

..........and on a separate note, I'm surprised the R27/30 cars weren't on this poll! The rides on the on these along Concourse...the propulsion...the sounds - things I remember very well about riding the subway in the early 1990s.

They were cars that were currently in service at the making of the polls, so the R38, R40, R40M and R44 are on

[M. Friday 1986]

They were cars that were currently in service at the making of the polls, so the R38, R40, R40M and R44 are on

 

Ah, thank's for the clarification.

[RollOver]

I know I voted for the R32s because they are my top number one favorite cars. However, I also love the R40s (slant-version) and R42s. I also love the Siemens propulsion system on the 330/660 Kawasaki R160B cars. Here's my new permanent list of my favorite IND/BMT B Division rolling stock:

 

R32 - Pure stainless steel and 50+ year long serving NYC subway car.

 

R40 - Slant-version and wide front window.

 

R42 - Modified-version and shiny when they are not rusted nor vandalized.

 

Kawasaki R160 - I love the Siemens propulsion system and wish all of these cars had them instead of just half of them.

[MHV9218]

I'm a bit late to the poll, but for practical reasons, it's got to be the new technology trains. They simply move faster. Anyone with functional sensory organs can confirm this. If they trimmed the annoucements to shorten the dwell time in stations, I'd like it even better.

You really can't argue "practical reasons" for something based on opinion, though. If this were about the fastest subway car, that would be a fair point, but it's about personal favorites, which is not objective but subjective. For example, I've always preferred cars with an RFW. No practical speed-based reason, just nostalgia for when I was younger and they were all over the place.

 

Anyway, it's probably between the Slants and the R38s for me. I'm getting more and more fond of the 62s and 32s, though.

[realizm]

Those things used to scare me as a kid on the i used to think i was going to fly through the window because of how fast they were lol

 

Tell me about it. Better hold on to your seats....

 

The R40 Slants are fast, there's no question about that. When power is applied max the traction motors 'roar' in a way that is unique to SMEE's. The only thing I can see as comparable to the R40 Slants are the R62's on the A division, as interestingly they share similar characteristics. When a MM applies power on these machines, they just don't gradually pick up speed, they kick into motion. They also accelerate very quickly in a way similar to todays R160's . Thats how powerful they were. The very large RFWs was a major plus also unique to the slants, only.

 

The braking system? They could have worked on that a bit, that would be my only complaint on these beasts.

[Union Tpke]

My rankingsR32R40SR38R40M/R42R46/R44R68/AR160A/BR143Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

How do you start a poll thread?Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[2 Train Master]

Definitely the R-32 Subway Cars,not based on how they sound or look or ride. Their uniqueness in many ways steal the show with the obvious looks of the Stainless steel grill body,classic knobs on a few sets and how original the cars look today compared to their pre-overhaul.

They have been around for nearly 50 years kicking their asses daily and still getting the job done despite the issues arising the past few years with HVAC units in the Summer. They're indeed old but their time is not up yet getting the job done outlasting the 38's,Slants,Mods,most the 42's and all the 44's. The 32's have definite character,not saying they are the BEST in business now but they damn sure are my favorite in the B-Division and deserve lots of credit providing what they do for their age. 

[Union Tpke]

Not the R44s on SIR

 

 

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[2 Train Master]

Not the R44s on SIR

 

 

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Subway 44's not RR