# MTA New York City Transit R142's.



## Amtrak Railfan (Nov 3, 2003)

I went on the 4 line this past saturday from 42 Street Subway Station to the Bowling Green Station on the new R142s Subway Car and again from the Wall Street Station to the 42 Street Subway Station and the trip was fun and I love this new R142 Subway Cars. And I want to know where are the R62s is this cars can be still seen in service on the #4 Subway line?


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## AlanB (Nov 3, 2003)

One can find the R62's on the #1, #3, #5, & #7 lines. I'm not sure if it's still true, but at one point the #6 line had a mixture of R62's and R142's.


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## tp49 (Nov 3, 2003)

So then they did convert the 4 train totally over to the R-142's because the last time I was in NY (and it has been awhile) the R-62's still ran on that line.


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## AlanB (Nov 3, 2003)

tp49 said:


> So then they did convert the 4 train totally over to the R-142's because the last time I was in NY (and it has been awhile) the R-62's still ran on that line.


Actually now that I think about it, I'm not sure that's right. I think that it's the #5 that's gone over to all R142's. They share the same yard as the #2 trains, which are also running the R142's.

I think that it's the #4 line that's still running the R62's. The fact that Amtrak Railfan's train terminated at Bowling Green would also indicate that he was riding a #5 train as they terminate at Bowling Green, except during rush hour.


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## Amtrak Railfan (Nov 7, 2003)

Will I like this R142s the best and how about you do you like this new R142 Subway Cars?


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## AlanB (Nov 7, 2003)

I like them too. 

They are much brighter than normal subway cars and they are quieter than the older cars. Additionally I like the light up map that shows you what station is the next stop.


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## Amtrak Railfan (Nov 7, 2003)

And does this Subway cars has a horn?


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## AlanB (Nov 7, 2003)

Amtrak Railfan said:


> And does this Subway cars has a horn?


Yes, although only the motorman can blow the horn. The FRA requires that every train have a horn. It's the law.


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## tp49 (Nov 7, 2003)

I like them enough, they are too bright and you can actually understand the announcements...it makes my garbled subway conductor on loudspeaker to english translation skills unnecessary


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## battalion51 (Nov 7, 2003)

I sort of liked the automated announcements when I was in New York last year. It was clear and concise, unlike most of the announcements Conductors make on Subways. Now obviously in other area where workers aren't so disgruntled, you'll get better quality announcements. The only reason why they are really needed on Subways is that they make a lot of stops really frequently, so if you zone out for even a minute to a grumbled announcement you could miss your stop. Whereas most other commuter trains stop every 5-10 minutes.


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## AlanB (Nov 8, 2003)

There are many things that affect the announcements; it's not just an unhappy worker. Other reasons for bad announcements are the fact that many conductors have accents so thick you could cut it with a knife, too much noise in the train, and poor PA systems.

On the other hand, fully half the New Yorkers that ride the subway pay no attention to the announcements anyhow. Visitors to NY are far more likely to depend on the announcements. Case in point, this past Monday's final run of the Redbirds.

Many of the regular passengers had no clue what was happening and paid no attention to the multiple announcements. Announcements which were very clear and precise. So when the train got to the final stop at Willets Point/Shea Stadium, many regulars continued to sit in the train waiting for it to continue on to Flushing. MTA personnel had to go from car to car and personally tell those passengers to cross the platform and take another train if they wished to ever get to Flushing.


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## battalion51 (Nov 8, 2003)

I guess after some point of riding the same route over and over again you probably would start to tune out the announcements. :lol:


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## Amtrak Railfan (Nov 15, 2003)

I want to know if you rode the R142s?


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## AlanB (Nov 15, 2003)

Amtrak Railfan said:



> I want to know if you rode the R142s?


Yes, I've been on the R142's several times over the last few years. I personally think that they are great cars.


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## tp49 (Nov 17, 2003)

I too have ridden the R-142's numerous times and me and my non-railfan girlfriend both enjoy them more than the older cars. She'll actually go "Look a new train." Maybe we have a new tourist attraction in the works here


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## Amtrak Railfan (Nov 29, 2003)

So far is all of the R142A Cars are now on the 4 line? And are the R62s left the 4 line?


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## AlanB (Nov 29, 2003)

Well the number 4 trains use all R142 cars at this point in time and no R62 cars at all.

However there are also several other lines that use R142's, they are not only running on the #4.


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## tp49 (Dec 1, 2003)

I know the last time I was in NY the R-142's also ran on the #2 and possibly the L lines, can't remember if they ran on the #3 or any other lines. Have they began to migrate to other divisions yet?


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## AlanB (Dec 1, 2003)

tp49 said:


> I know the last time I was in NY the R-142's also ran on the #2 and possibly the L lines, can't remember if they ran on the #3 or any other lines. Have they began to migrate to other divisions yet?


TP,

Technically the R142's can't migrate to the other divisions. The R142's are designed to fit the tunnels & platforms of the IRT lines only.

The R143 car, which is the R142's cousin, is the BMT & IND version of the new cars. Although the R143 does have a few features above and beyond the R142's. Most notable is the fact that the R143 is the first NYC subway car that can run fully automated, much like the DC subway operates.

So far only enough cars were ordered to supply the "L" (Canarsie) line. Supposedly work is under way to update the signaling system on the L line to eventually permit automated operations. Presently these cars are operated manually just like every other car in the system.

The MTA signed a deal back on July 30th 2002, to buy 1,700 R160 cars, which are the R143's sister car. Delivery of these new cars is expected to start sometime in 2005. No official word what lines will get these cars, however based upon the cars expected to be retired when the new ones arrive, I expect to see the new cars on the 6th Avenue lines and possibly the Broadway lines. I think that the R68's will go over to the 8th Avenue lines.

Now returning to our original subject, the R142's, at present you can find them running on the #2, #4, #5, #6 lines. The #1, #3, #9, along with the #7 will remain the domain of the R62's for the foreseeable future.


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## Amtrak Railfan (Dec 27, 2003)

Is there a yard on the 4 line for the R142s?


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## AlanB (Dec 27, 2003)

Yes the Jerome Avenue yard serves the #4 line. Most lines in the subway system have a yard, although a few do share yards with other lines.

By the way Jerome was not built for the R142 cars. It can handle any IRT style car. Since the #4 only runs R142's now, it is likely that the yard no longer sees older cars.


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## Amtrak Railfan (Jan 1, 2004)

Who Says please stand clear of the closeing doors please on the R142/R142 A Subway Cars?


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## tp49 (Jan 1, 2004)

The automated system voice.


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## F59 PHI (Jan 4, 2004)

Currently there are 4 types of cars assigned to the IRT. R62, R62A, R142, R142A.

The current assignment of cars is

1(Van Cortland): R62A

2(Wakefield):R142

3(Lenox/Livonia):R62, R62A,R62A

4(Jerome/Livonia/Concourse):R62, R142, R142A

5(Bronx Park/Unionport/Wakefield):R142

6(Westchester): R142A

7(Corona) R62A

before the R142s came, the assignments were:

1: R62A

2:R33ML*

3: R62A

4:R33ML, R62

5:R26 R28 R29,* **

6: R29, R36ML, R36WF, R62A

7:R33ML, R33WF, R36ML, R36WF**

The IRT car assignments are to be:

1: R62A

2: R142

3:R62

4: R62A, R142, R142A

5: R142

6:R142A

7: R62A

* The 2 and 5 would occasionally swap carfleets.

** The R17s ran as substitutes in the late 80s and early 90s. They would substitute for a pair in 5 trains, or would substitute for the 9th car in 7 trains.


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## F59 PHI (Jan 4, 2004)

The 2 line voice is Diane Thompson

The 4/5/6 line voice is Jessica Ettiger-Gottesman

The voice used for corrections is Mellissa Kleiner

The Guy is Charlie Pellett


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## F59 PHI (Jan 4, 2004)

While law may require that every train may have a horn, that is not FRA as NYCTA is not an FRA railroad.


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## AlanB (Jan 4, 2004)

F59 PHI said:


> The 2 line voice is Diane ThompsonThe 4/5/6 line voice is Jessica Ettiger-Gottesman
> 
> The voice used for corrections is Mellissa Kleiner
> 
> The Guy is Charlie Pellett


I think that all of them work for Bloomberg Financial Services, I'm positive that Charlie and at least one of the women do or did at the time. They recorded the messages before Bloomberg became the mayor of NYC.


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## tp49 (Jan 4, 2004)

I believe they either do the TV reports or work for Bloomberg radio can't remember the frequency or for that matter if it's even still on the air (the station that it I know they still do business news spots for other stations nationwide).


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## F59 PHI (Jan 15, 2004)

Anybody else here looking forwards to the impending doom or the R44 fleet? I certainly am


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## MichiganFoamer (Jan 22, 2004)

Anyone here remember than HILARIOUS skit about the subway announcers on Saturday Night Live a few years ago? :lol:


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## AMTRAK-P42 (Jan 22, 2004)

I cant say I do, do you remember what the live date of the episode was? I can try and search it.


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## MichiganFoamer (Jan 23, 2004)

Can't recall the exact date, it was somewhere around the late '80s/early '90s.

I think it was a parody of a TV ad that I'm assumning ran in the NYC area at the time promoting the International Brotherhood of Transit Workers (is there such a union? that's what they called it here).

Basically, they made it look as though everyone working the ticket windows or the PA systems on the NYC subways had a serious speech impediment, then at the very end the President of the union gave a little speech...and he couldn't talk right either! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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