B division questions

[Joel Up Front]

Why do B division lines use both 60' and 75' cars? Were past cars (before the R40s) ever 75' or was 60 the norm?

 

Also, I've seen the BMT referred to in terms of divisions as well (North, South, East, and West, but I'm not too sure if there is a West). Are cars restricted from entering these portions because of their lengths?

[PATCOman]

To answer your second question, 75' cars can't run on the Eastern division lines because of sharp curves. Also, Eastern div platforms are only 8 60' carlengths long.

[Kamen Rider]

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[Eric B]

The divisions are mostly administrative. It is currently North, South and Queens. "East", meaning the BMT Eastern Division, is currently a part of the North, so distinguished because of the restrictions. (BMT South has become the basis of South, though it now includes IND lines). The A Division is likewise divided into "Broadway" (West side) and "East Side".

 

These divisions can change, and in fact, it is being said that next summer, some of the lines in the B div. will be shifted around. They were talking about changing it back to a clean IND/BMT division (with the exception of the B remaining BMT with the other South lines), but as the administration changes, they want to restructure it in different ways.

[Far Rock Depot]

and just to add a little more detail to answer the question, the R44 was the first, non-multi-section/compartment/articulated 75ft long car.

[MikeGerald]

Question:

 

Why do B division lines use both 60' and 75' cars? Were past cars (before the R40s) ever 75' or was 60 the norm?

 

Answer:

 

Since beginning of the BMT, and later the IND - the lines were created to handle 67-foot cars, however most of the actual trains in usage were 60-foot cars. Yes, there were BMT 67-foot Standards in use on some BMT lines. In creating the tunnels to handle 67-foot cars, that means the stations, tracks, switches, yard tracks, etc. However as related in another message - such 67-foot cars had problems when the train rounded a curve - the doors don't meet head on - and a passenger could fall down to the tracks and be killed. I believe that the 67-foot cars ran on trains consisting of 8 or 9 cars in length, although shorter consists were also used. This often meant that end car doors were often locked.

 

The 60-foot cars could be used anywhere in the B-Division subway system, especially since the BMT lines are the oldest when compared to the IND lines. On these trains the end doors did not have to be locked.

 

During the 1970's, the TA had about 7,000 subway cars and had to maintain and repair each and every one. A very tall order - however there was the bright idea to lengthen the cars to 75-feet. That why only 8-cars would be needed to make a 600-feet train, compared to 10-car trains with 60-foot cars. For some reason the number of doors assigned to each subway car remained the same - 4 doors per side. On a train made up of 60-foot cars that presents 40 doors to the platform. On a train made up of 75-foot cars that present 32 door to the platform.

 

The MTA had to create and run a cobbled-together test train with whiskers to locate all of the places where the 75-foot cars would have trouble navigating the tracks. The Eastern Division - that is the current J, L and M lines could not accommodate 75-foot cars. I have been told that due to the way these trains handle curves, that two trains could easily side-swipe each other while rounding a curve. In addition some of curves on the L-line are very sharp, too sharp for the 75-foot length cars, according to what I have been told. These lines in modern times have always used 60-foot cars.

 

The earliest 75-foot cars presented several challenges for the TA when they were first delivered and placed into operation.

 

Mike

[Roadcruiser1]

Question:

 

Why do B division lines use both 60' and 75' cars? Were past cars (before the R40s) ever 75' or was 60 the norm?

 

Answer:

 

Since beginning of the BMT, and later the IND - the lines were created to handle 67-foot cars, however most of the actual trains in usage were 60-foot cars. Yes, there were BMT 67-foot Standards in use on some BMT lines. In creating the tunnels to handle 67-foot cars, that means the stations, tracks, switches, yard tracks, etc. However as related in another message - such 67-foot cars had problems when the train rounded a curve - the doors don't meet head on - and a passenger could fall down to the tracks and be killed. I believe that the 67-foot cars ran on trains consisting of 8 or 9 cars in length, although shorter consists were also used. This often meant that end car doors were often locked.

 

The 60-foot cars could be used anywhere in the B-Division subway system, especially since the BMT lines are the oldest when compared to the IND lines. On these trains the end doors did not have to be locked.

 

During the 1970's, the TA had about 7,000 subway cars and had to maintain and repair each and every one. A very tall order - however there was the bright idea to lengthen the cars to 75-feet. That why only 8-cars would be needed to make a 600-feet train, compared to 10-car trains with 60-foot cars. For some reason the number of doors assigned to each subway car remained the same - 4 doors per side. On a train made up of 60-foot cars that presents 40 doors to the platform. On a train made up of 75-foot cars that present 32 door to the platform.

 

The MTA had to create and run a cobbled-together test train with whiskers to locate all of the places where the 75-foot cars would have trouble navigating the tracks. The Eastern Division - that is the current J, L and M lines could not accommodate 75-foot cars. I have been told that due to the way these trains handle curves, that two trains could easily side-swipe each other while rounding a curve. In addition some of curves on the L-line are very sharp, too sharp for the 75-foot length cars, according to what I have been told. These lines in modern times have always used 60-foot cars.

 

The earliest 75-foot cars presented several challenges for the TA when they were first delivered and placed into operation.

 

Mike

 

Now I know why the R110B cars were 67 feet long. Interesting thing to know.