R62 (New York City Subway car)
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| R62 (New York City Subway car) | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Damian Hewitt - Facebook · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source | |
| Name | R62 |
| Caption | R62 train on the IRT Lexington Avenue Line |
| Manufacturer | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries |
| Family | SMEE |
| Yearconstruction | 1983–1985 |
| Numberbuilt | 325 cars |
| Numberservice | varied |
| Formation | single cars, married pairs operationally |
| Operator | New York City Transit Authority |
| Depot | Livonia Yard, Westchester Yard |
| Lines | 1, 4–6 and others |
| Carbody | stainless steel |
| Length | 51ft |
| Width | 8ft |
| Height | 11ft |
| Doors | 6 sets per car |
| Capacity | approx. 44 seated |
| Traction | DC traction motors |
| Power | 600 V DC from third rail |
| Bogies | Bradshaw or equivalent |
| Brakes | SMEE dynamic and tread braking |
R62 (New York City Subway car) is a class of subway rolling stock built for the New York City Transit Authority in the early 1980s. Designed to replace aging fleets inherited from the IRT and to standardize equipment across the New York City Subway, the R62 entered service amid budgetary constraints, labor negotiations, and expanding maintenance programs. The fleet became a mainstay on several IRT routes and influenced later procurement policies for Metropolitan Transportation Authority rolling stock.
Design and specifications
The R62 was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries under contract with the New York City Transit Authority and incorporated stainless steel carbody work familiar from deliveries to systems such as Toronto Transit Commission and Moscow Metro suppliers. Cars measure 51 feet in length and 8 feet in width, compatible with the IRT Division loading gauge established by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company in the early 20th century. Each car features three pairs of double-leaf sliding doors per side, high-back bucket seating similar to configurations seen on Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and San Francisco Municipal Railway vehicles, and operator cabs compatible with ATC systems used on some IRT lines.
Traction equipment relies on DC traction motors and SMEE braking, reflecting continuity with braking standards used in earlier fleets like the R17 and R36. Electrical systems operate from the 600 V DC third rail, interoperating with substations maintained by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and designed alongside power improvements first proposed after incidents on the New York City Transit Authority network. Structural elements include reinforced stainless steel skins and anti-corrosion treatments influenced by designs employed by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Bombardier Transportation in other North American projects.
Production and delivery
The contract for 325 cars was awarded to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries after a procurement process overseen by the New York City Transit Authority during the administrations of Ed Koch and transit chiefs aligned with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Construction occurred between 1983 and 1985 in Japanese facilities with final inspections coordinated at delivery points including John F. Kennedy International Airport logistics hubs and Brooklyn Navy Yard yards. Trucks and bogies were supplied by established manufacturers with examples comparable to inventory used by the Chicago Transit Authority and Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Initial deliveries were staged to depots such as 38th Street Yard and Livonia Yard for acceptance testing and driver training in cooperation with the Transport Workers Union of America. Technical acceptance trials included compatibility checks with signal systems on the Lexington Avenue Line and endurance runs similar to commissioning practices used by Transport for London and Paris Métro. Public unveiling events involved transit officials and municipal representatives, echoing prior ceremonies for fleets like the R44.
Service history
The R62 entered revenue service on designated IRT routes, becoming prominent on routes such as the 1 and 6 where tunnel clearances and platform lengths dictated equipment choice. The class provided improved reliability compared with older rolling stock from the eras of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation, reducing mean distance between failures and influencing scheduling on congested lines like the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line.
During its operational life, the R62 saw deployment adjustments in response to system-wide changes implemented by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and events such as 1989 New York City snowstorm service disruptions and labor disputes involving the Transport Workers Union of America. The cars also participated in special events and maintenance-of-way rotations with coordination from the New York City Transit Authority planning office and infrastructure teams managing bridge clearance and power delivery.
Refurbishments and modifications
Over decades of service, the R62 fleet underwent refurbishments overseen by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and executed at facilities comparable to overhaul programs run by RailWorks Corporation and contractors used by New Jersey Transit. Mid-life overhauls addressed HVAC upgrades similar to retrofits seen on PATH cars, seating reconfigurations inspired by Metropolitan Transportation Authority accessibility goals, and installation of electronic signage compatible with network-wide real-time passenger information initiatives championed by city administrations including those of Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Bloomberg.
Modifications also included safety improvements influenced by post-incident analyses conducted by agencies such as the National Transportation Safety Board and regulatory guidance from the Federal Transit Administration. Some cars were fitted with improved cab ergonomics, fire-retardant materials aligned with standards adopted by the National Fire Protection Association, and communications upgrades facilitating integration with control centers operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Incidents and retirements
The R62 fleet experienced incidents ranging from non-fatal collisions to fire events that prompted inquiries by the National Transportation Safety Board and internal reviews by the New York City Transit Authority safety division. High-profile occurrences influenced policy decisions on material standards, leading to selective early retirements and the acceleration of replacement programs including procurement of newer fleets from manufacturers like Bombardier Transportation and Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
Retirement and replacement schedules were shaped by capital plans approved by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board and funding allocations from municipal and state authorities, with phased decommissioning coordinated to minimize service disruptions on lines historically served by the class. Decommissioned cars entered secondary markets, recycling programs, or were retained for non-revenue purposes by the New York Transit Museum and preservation groups associated with Railway Preservation Society of New York.