R46 on BMT Eastern Division and the Mystery Behind It

[TheNewYorkElevated]

There's been something on my mind I've noticed lately that has caught my attention...

 

So apparently (as most of you here know), there was a fan trip that was held on 7/4/1976, which was the day America celebrated it's 200th birthday. And R46's were used on that fan trip. Making matters even more odd, the R46 set used was on the BMT Eastern Division, even though it is banned from running onto those lines

(since the R46 is 75 feet).

 

The only known photo of an R46 running on one of those lines was this picture:

 

 

Other than this, no other photos have surfaced of an R46 running on an Eastern Divison line on the day of the fan trip, which is why this is considered a mystery. 

 

Now, someone offer me an explanation as to why no other photos have made it's way online. 

 

Thank you.

[ttcsubwayfan]

There's no mystery. No one else submitted any photos to nycsubway.org, so they didn't put any up online.

[Daniel The Cool]

There's no mystery. No one else submitted any photos to nycsubway.org, so they didn't put any up online.

Yep and maybe not too many took pictures of the fan trip since photography back than was more expensive with film cameras

[Eric B]

Here's the one I had printed and then scanned years ago, after it was taken down: 

 

All this time, I thought it was the same as this "original" photo that "resurfaced", but clearly, they are different, so there was apparently more than one. This apparently is a second shot taken as the train had receded a bit.

The original was on someone's own site, and the address was later dead, and then my rough copy was the only one, until another real photo surfaced years later.

[TheNewYorkElevated]

Yep and maybe not too many took pictures of the fan trip since photography back than was more expensive with film cameras

I sort of know that (since it was in it's infancy). But what made it special was that an R46 ran on an Eastern Division line. That's why I took it as a mystery.

[ttcsubwayfan]

What?

[TheNewYorkElevated]

What?

Let me repeat myself.

 

I sort of know that (since it was in it's infancy). But what made it special was that an R46 ran on an Eastern Division line. That's why I took it as a mystery.

[ttcsubwayfan]

Yeah, I know.

 

And I still don't understand your question. First it seemed as though you were asking why there weren't a lot of photos of the R46 on the Eastern division, but now you're asking why an R46 was on the Eastern division...???

[TheNewYorkElevated]

Yeah, I know.

 

And I still don't understand your question. First it seemed as though you were asking why there weren't a lot of photos of the R46 on the Eastern division, but now you're asking why an R46 was on the Eastern division...???

Oh, I see where you are going here... 

[Wallyhorse]

Yep and maybe not too many took pictures of the fan trip since photography back than was more expensive with film cameras

That is true.  Back then it was much more costly (on a relative basis) to take pictures than it is today, especially getting film and then having it developed.  

[Fresh Pond]

I sort of know that (since it was in it's infancy). But what made it special was that an R46 ran on an Eastern Division line. That's why I took it as a mystery.

Theoretically yes, they can run out to Metropolitan Av and Broadway Junction (some say Crescent, but at curve at Alabama makes me think otherwise).

 

BUT...

 

While that train was running, traffic was halted going the other way at most curves (Essex, Marcy, Myrtle-Bway, Myrtle-Wyckoff) because of the length of the car. Because its 75' long, the body swings out wider than the 60' cars and would cause a huge sideswiping incident with a train going the other way.