Background and Description
The full size of the R11 contract was to have been for 400 new subway cars, intended to provide service on the Second Avenue Subway which at the time was slated to open in the 1950s (The Second Avenue Subway has been repeatedly delayed and canceled throughout New York City's history, though it is currently under construction as of 2010). The 10 cars ordered were to serve as a new technology prototype test train. However, the remainder of the cars were never built due to the halt of construction on Second Avenue shortly thereafter.
The ornamental design of the car body featured standee windows separated by a heavy brace from the lower windows. This was due to the influence of noted industrial designer Otto Kuhler (US patent Des.153,367), and featured as part of a bid by the American Car and Foundry Company in 1947. The cars also implemented new technology in several areas. "Precipitron" lamps were included, designed to combat airborne bacteria. Forced air ventilation was introduced as ceiling vents circulated fresh air in from outside each car, while removing stale air. Electric door motors were used for the first time, replacing the standard compressed air engines which had served on much of the older equipment. Lastly, drum brakes were installed instead of conventional tread brakes.
The R11 cars were rebuilt in 1965 under contract R34. During the rebuild, the drum brakes were replaced with tread brakes, new fans were installed, and the middle stanchions were removed to improve passenger flow. The rebuild also included modifications that allowed the cars to operate in consists with other SMEE (contracts R-10 through R-42) cars. Since there were only ten of them, by the 1970s maintenance proved time consuming and difficult as special skills and components were needed to keep the cars in working order. As a result, the R11s were retired from service in 1977 following a yard accident which wrecked car 8016 and 9 of the 10 cars were scrapped by 1980. The one exception is car 8013, which survives today at the New York Transit Museum.
The R11 was the first stainless steel R-type car (The Budd BMT Zephyr holds the title of being the first stainless steel subway car in the city). Fifteen years after building the R11s, the Budd Company would go on to build the first bulk order of stainless steel cars in New York City Subway history - the R32.
Read more about this topic: R11 (New York City Subway Car)
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