R16 (New York City Subway car)
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The R16 was a New York City Subway car manufactured by American Car and Foundry Company. The R16s were assigned to the BMT Eastern Division, although they showed up on the IND Queens and BMT Southern divisions from time to time.
Although thought ugly by many at the time, they quickly became the new standard in car design for New York City Transit Authority. Structurally and mechanically, they were larger than R15s, but these cars were aesthetically much plainer then the R15 model. The R16s were neither known for their speed nor their reliability. The GE cars would often ignite debris stuck in their cooling grids, causing many problems. It is thought by some that the fire that burned down Metropolitan Avenue in the late 70s was caused by a train of R16s.[citation needed]
The R16s were delivered in 1955, painted kale green. Two cars were painted gold for a celebration in 1955, and some were painted bright red in the early 1960s. The whole fleet was given a silver and blue theme in 1970, and it kept that paint scheme until the cars were retired. There were two fleets of R16s: Westinghouse(R16WH) equipped cars 6300-6399 and General Electric (R16GE) equipped cars 6400-6499. The R16GEs were replaced by the R46s in 1977, but reactivated due to the R46 truck issues, and then lasted until 1983. The R16WH cars were replaced in 1987 by the R68 fleet.
Five R16s exist today. 6305, 6339, 6387, 6398, and 6452. All remain on property except for 6398 which is at the Trolley Museum of New York, Kingston, NY.
[edit] R-16 Specifications
- Car Builder: American Car and Foundry, USA
- Car Body: LAHT carbon steel
- Unit Numbers: 6300-6499
- Fleet of: 200 cars
- Car Length: 60 feet, 21⁄2 inches (18.35 m)
- Car Width: 10 feet (3.05 m)
- Car Height: 12 feet, 15⁄8 inches (3.70 m)
- Track Gauge: 4 feet, 81⁄2 inches (1435 mm)
- Power: 115 horsepower (86 kW) / 4 per car
- Propulsion System: Westinghouse UPC631A; GE MCM 17KG113D1
- DC Traction Motors: Westinghouse 1447C; GE 1240A4
- Brakes: WABCO ME42 SMEE
- Maximum Speed: 55 mph
- Total Weight: GE cars (6400-6499) 84,532 lb, WH cars (6300-6399) 86,270 lb
- Total Seating: 70
- Price per car : USD$ 121,442
