Cab-configurations on the #7 Line

Kamen Rider wrote:R188s are in fixed sets of 5 and 6. While being able to remove the C car makes sense on paper, in practice not so much.

I can see that. The point of link bars instead of couplers is to cut costs. And since they're already set up to service cars in groups, then locking each C car into group won't add to the bother of working it in that way.

Gerry6309 wrote:Equipment on the 7 has always migrated to other routes. Six car sets may force those trains to live on the 7 permanently, since no other shop will have 6 car lifts. Sort of like 60 foot versus 75 foot cars on the IND/BMT lines. Of course CBTC will be the other limiting factor.

You could technically break up a 6-car:

For example assuming 1651, 1656-1657, 1661 are full-lengths:

1651-1652-1653-1654-1655-1656
1657-1658-1659-1660-1661

To...

1651-1652-1653-1654-1656

1657-1658-1659-1660-1661

1655 can be tacked on with a bunch of other full-lengths creating more 5-car sets.
Any leftovers (If there are any) can be shipped to the Grand Central Shuttle.

Saw #2006 without a full cab yesterday. Strange thing was, was that #2006 was leading to Manhattan rather than Queens.

The Flushing Line equipment transition continues. I saw car #2006 (regrettably) in the middle of a train this morning as I hung out on the 61st St/Woodside platform trying to catch a Manhattan-bound corner-cab. None to be found. The Flushing-ends are now a mix of corner and wide-cabs, also regrettable.

And I saw three R-188 trains in-service. Didn't ride one, but all appeared to have wide-cabs at both ends. One I looked into briefly and I wondered if the cab-door window is that same weird glass as on the R-160's that you can see through in daylight. Anybody checked that out yet? The equipment transition is interesting but once again, it does not bode well for railfans.

The new cars are a mystery.

Some R160s have a frosted/covered over window, some are blurred while some are see-through-able. I'm not 100% sure about the R188 since I've only rode on them twice (Both times B-cars), but the railfan window may not be lost, just "significantly changed"

2130 is a half-cab onthe front of a queens bound train

Just saw today that 2130-2135 have been flipped and now 2135 is leading. I dont know is 2135 is a full cab or not

I rode the museum "Train of Many Colors" today. Good to ride those old IRT cars.

Most of the trains running on the Flushing Line now have been converted to full-cabs on the Flushing end. I only saw a couple that still had the corner-cabs.

Head-end View wrote:I rode the museum "Train of Many Colors" today. Good to ride those old IRT cars.

Most of the trains running on the Flushing Line now have been converted to full-cabs on the Flushing end. I only saw a couple that still had the corner-cabs.

1990 has one.

Ive noticed that they occasionally flip 5-car consists so for maybe a week, a new half-cab appears

since the last half-cab blitz, I've found 2:

2030
2130

but those were weeks ago i saw 2030 flipped right back to the middle

It regrettably appears that the conversion to full-width cabs on the Flushing ends is virtually complete. I observed 8 trains yesterday afternoon at Times Square looking for a corner-cab to ride and none appeared.

This is especially disheartening for me personally as I began my front-window "career" on the Flushing Line as a young kid 52 years ago in 1962. Well, it was fun while it lasted. I believe the only corner-cab trains still running in the system are the R-32's while they last.

Rumor has it they are running again on the "A" train this summer. Can anyone confirm? If so, maybe I'll take a Rockaways ride.

Last time i used the 7 train maybe 3 weeks ago i saw a half cab. There are times when I'd see a set of 5 cars then maybe a week later it has suddenly flipped.

Seinfeld train is back btw

Head-end View wrote:It regrettably appears that the conversion to full-width cabs on the Flushing ends is virtually complete. I observed 8 trains yesterday afternoon at Times Square looking for a corner-cab to ride and none appeared.

This is especially disheartening for me personally as I began my front-window "career" on the Flushing Line as a young kid 52 years ago in 1962. Well, it was fun while it lasted. I believe the only corner-cab trains still running in the system are the R-32's while they last.

Rumor has it they are running again on the "A" train this summer. Can anyone confirm? If so, maybe I'll take a Rockaways ride.

You're forgetting the R42s. You'll be lucky if you catch the lone R32 set on the A this summer, since it would be running during the PM rush only. The swap this summer was between J / C, with the J running half R32/42 and half R160 and the C running half R32 and half R160.

how much longer do the R42s have? They go out the same time the R32s do in 2015?

5 MONTHS!!!!

Thanks Fan Railer for the info re: the R-32's and 42's. Actually, I had thought the R-42's were all gone already. How fast 40 years went by........