Deck Roof Hi-V (New York City Subway car)

Last updated
Deck Roof Hi-V
The Street railway journal (1908) (14573778407).jpg
A Deck Roof Hi-V car as it appeared in 1908.
In service1907–1957
Manufacturer American Car and Foundry
Constructed1907–1908
Number built50
Number preserved1
Number scrapped49
Successor R17
R21
R22
FormationSingles
Fleet numbers3650–3699
Operator(s) Interborough Rapid Transit Company
NYC Board of Transportation
New York City Transit Authority
Specifications
Car body constructionRiveted Steel
Car length51 ft 1.5 in (15.58 m)
Width8 ft 10 in (2,692 mm)
Height12 ft 0 in (3,658 mm)
DoorsUp until the early 1910s: 4
After the 1910s: 6
Maximum speed55 mph (89 km/h)
WeightMotor car:
~83,780 lb (38,002 kg)
Traction systemMotor car: GE212 [1] 2 motors per car.
Power output200 hp (149 kW) per traction motor
Electric system(s) 600 V DC Third rail
Current collector(s) Contact shoe
Braking system(s) Before 1910: WABCO Schedule AM(P) with 'P' type triple valve and M-2 brake stand
After 1910: WABCO Schedule AMRE with 'R' type triple valve and ME-21 brake stand
Track gauge 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The Deck Roof Hi-V was a New York City Subway car class built from 1907 to 1908 by the American Car and Foundry for the IRT and its successors, the New York City Board of Transportation and the New York City Transit Authority.

Contents

Description

A total of 50 Deck Roofs were built, numbered 3650–3699. These cars remained in service from 1907 to 1957. These cars were nicknamed the Battleships because of their paint scheme where the siding was painted Battleship Grey.

When these cars were delivered, they had two doors on each side until the early 1910s, when they received another door in the middle on each side. The facing cross seats in the center, typical of el cars, were removed to accommodate the added center doors.

At the same time, as with the Gibbs cars, these Deck Roof cars were retrofitted with the more advanced type couplers and AMRE triple valve braking system introduced in the later Hedley High-V motors.

As with the Gibbs cars, many of these Deck Roof cars received motors originally in the Composites which were converted to trailers, but a small number received brand new motors, to speed these cars into service faster. [2] Just like the Gibbs cars, the Deck Roofs sent 600 volts into the controller, which was hazardous. Otherwise, these cars proved to be reliable throughout their career.

In 1923 and 1936, the High-V fleet was being converted to multiple-unit door control, with the exception of all 50 of the Deck Roofs and some Gibbs and Hedley cars. The Deck Roofs were often placed at either end of the train so that ten car trains of High-Vs could run. [3] [4]

The Deck Roof cars served mostly in Broadway services, both Express and Local, throughout their lives. A number of trains served both rush hour Lexington Ave. Express services: Jerome Ave. and White Plains Rd., during the period that the regular Steinways were being used in Broadway Express service for a brief period from 1950 to 1952. These were returned to Broadway in 1952 as part of an equipment swap to save on crews.

The first 4 of these cars were held aside for the Bowling Green–South Ferry Shuttle and had the center door cutout feature, indicated by the white line outside under the number.

Until the late 1950s and early 1960s, the IRT platforms could not handle a full ten car train. Thus, the manual door controls of the Deck Roof were reliable, as the side vestibule doors at either end of the train can be opened manually even if the entire car isn't on the platform. However, two conductors were required for the operation of trains with manual door-controlled cars. Unlike the BMT and IND Divisions, full length trains of all older types of IRT cars always used two conductors.

Retirement

When all the platforms on the IRT were eventually lengthened to support ten car trains, the High-Vs were being phased out by the then new R17, R21, and R22 subway cars. The last of the High-Vs was retired in 1958.

Car 3662 is preserved by the Shore Line Trolley Museum, modified with trolley poles. It was previously operational, but a flood at the museum site damaged the car's electrical underfloor components. It is currently out of service awaiting restoration. [5]

Related Research Articles

Interborough Rapid Transit Company Defunct subway operator in New York City (1904–1940)

The Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) was the private operator of New York City's original underground subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the city in June 1940, along with the younger BMT and IND systems, to form the modern New York City Subway. The former IRT lines are now the A Division or IRT Division of the Subway.

West Farms Square–East Tremont Avenue station New York City Subway station in the Bronx

The West Farms Square–East Tremont Avenue station is a local station on the IRT White Plains Road Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of East Tremont Avenue and Boston Road in the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx, it is served by the 2 train at all times, and the 5 train at all times except late nights and rush hours in the peak direction.

R33S (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The R33S was a New York City Subway car that was built by St. Louis Car Company in 1963 for the IRT A Division. They were purchased for service on the IRT Flushing Line, which was the closest line to the 1964 New York World's Fair. A total of 40 cars were built, arranged as single cars. While in regular service, each R33S was coupled to five two-car consists of R36 cars to make 11-car trains for the 7 and <7> routes.

R21 (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The R21 was a New York City Subway car built by St. Louis Car Company from 1956 to 1957 for the IRT A Division. A total of 250 cars were built, arranged as single units. Two versions were manufactured: Westinghouse (WH)-powered cars and General Electric (GE)-powered cars.

R33 (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The R33 was a New York City Subway car model that was built by St. Louis Car Company in 1962 and 1963. The cars are a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for the A Division's R29s and closely resemble them. The cars were also referred to as R33MLs to distinguish them from the R33S's. A total of 500 cars were built, numbered 8806–9305, and arranged in pairs.

207th Street station New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The 207th Street station is a local station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of 207th Street and 10th Avenue in the Manhattan neighborhood of Inwood, it is served by the 1 train at all times.

R17 (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The R17 was a New York City Subway car model built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1954 for the IRT A Division. A total of 400 cars were built, arranged as single units. Two versions were manufactured: Westinghouse (WH)-powered cars and General Electric (GE)-powered cars.

R22 (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The R22 was a New York City Subway car built by the St. Louis Car Company from 1957 to 1958. The cars were a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for the A Division's R21s and closely resemble them. A total of 450 cars were built, arranged as single units. Two versions were manufactured: Westinghouse (WH)-powered cars and General Electric (GE)-powered cars.

Q-type Queens car (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The Q-type and QX were a New York City Subway car class originally built by the Osgood-Bradley, Brill, Laconia, and Jewett car companies, and rebuilt in 1938 by the Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) from former BU cars.

Composite (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The Composite was a New York City Subway car class built from 1903 to 1904 by the Jewett, St. Louis, Wason, and John Stephenson companies for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and its successor, the New York City Board of Transportation.

Hedley Hi-V (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The Hedley Hi-V was a New York City Subway car class built from 1910 to 1911, which were motor cars, and then in 1915 an order for trailers that were numbered 4223–4514. All were built by the American Car and Foundry, Standard Steel Car Company, Pressed Steel Car Company, and Pullman Company. These were the first cars built with center doors. They were also the last high voltage cars built for the system because high voltage cars were a hazard to both the train operators and track crews. Thus, all subway cars delivered afterward were low voltage cars.

Gibbs Hi-V (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The Gibbs Hi-V was a New York City Subway car class built from 1904 to 1905 by American Car and Foundry for the IRT and its successors, the New York City Board of Transportation and the New York City Transit Authority. It was the first all-steel subway car ordered for New York City.

Worlds Fair Lo-V (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The World's Fair Lo-V was a New York City Subway car type built in 1938 by the St. Louis Car Company in St. Louis, Missouri. These 50 cars were ordered for the IRT Flushing Line in preparation for the 1939 World's Fair. They were the fourth and last "Lo-V" type cars that were ordered, and the last cars ordered for the IRT before the city takeover in 1940.

Steinway Lo-V (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The Steinway Lo-V was a New York City Subway car type built from 1915 to 1925 by the Pressed Steel Car Company, American Car and Foundry, and Pullman Company. These cars were built specifically for use on the IRT Corona Line, and the IRT Astoria Line. They had special gear ratios to climb the steep grades (4.5%) in the Steinway Tunnels, something standard IRT equipment could not do.

Standard Lo-V (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The Standard Lo-V was a New York City Subway car type built from 1916 to 1925 by the Pressed Steel Car Company, American Car and Foundry, and Pullman Company for the IRT. A total of 1,020 cars were built, which consisted of 725 motors and 295 trailers. It was the third and most common "Lo-V" type car ordered for the IRT.

231st Street station New York City Subway station in the Bronx

The 231st Street station is a local station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at the intersection of West 231st Street and Broadway in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx, it is served by the 1 train at all times.

23rd Street station (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line) New York City Subway station in Manhattan

The 23rd Street station is a local station on the IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line of the New York City Subway. Located at 23rd Street and Seventh Avenue in Chelsea, Manhattan, it is served by the 1 train at all times and by the 2 train during late nights. The station was built by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) as part of the Dual Contracts with New York City, and opened on July 1, 1918. The station had its platforms extended in the 1960s, and was renovated in the 1990s.

Flivver Lo-V (New York City Subway car) Retired class of New York City Subway car

The Flivver Lo-V was a New York City Subway car type built in 1915 by the Pullman Company for the IRT and its successors, which included the New York City Board of Transportation and the New York City Transit Authority. The name Flivver originates from a slang term of the same name used during the early part of the 20th century to refer to any small car that gave a rough ride.

MUDC (New York City Subway car) Retired class of Interborough Rapid Transit car

The MUDC was a series of New York City Subway cars originally built by the St. Louis, Wason, Jewett, Cincinnati, and Barney and Smith companies, and rebuilt by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company in 1923–1924 from former Manhattan El gate cars.

Manhattan El (New York City Subway car) Retired class of Interborough Rapid Transit car

Manhattan El is the generic term for IRT elevated gate cars used on predecessor lines of the New York City Subway system. These cars were built by the Pullman, Wason, Gilbert & Bush, Bowers & Dure, Barney & Smith, Jewett, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and American Car and Foundry companies.

References

  1. ↑ "The Street railway journal". 1884.
  2. ↑ "Showing Image 45157". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  3. ↑ "Showing Image 78236". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  4. ↑ "Showing Image 47726". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
  5. ↑ "Showing Image 6891". www.nycsubway.org. Retrieved 2021-04-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.