[PHOTOS] Rare M-1 Photos

Taken at Red Lion prior to construction?

The mock-up visited Penn Station and Jamaica, and later Flatbush though the ceiling in those photos doesn't appear to represent either location. It may have been in MCTA headquarters, the predecessor to the MTA, prior to March, 1968. Just a guess.

Ah yes, we recall those "egg-crate" lighting diffusers in the vestibules. The public learned they could bend the aluminum tabs in them, spelling obscenities... They were replaced with M-3-type solid plastic panels. And the "Do not lean on doors" stickers immortalized the 1975 Donnenfeld accident...

Kelly&Kelly wrote: It may have been in MCTA headquarters, the predecessor to the MTA, prior to March, 1968. Just a guess.

1700 Broadway ?

Just a guess. I really have no idea. Beautiful photos. I remember looking at the mock-up in Penn like it was yesterday.

I'll bet most folks don't remember the original seat color combinations before they were simplified...

BM and Everyone:

The three mock-up pictures made me remember something from my childhood: Back in 1967-68
(that era) there was an annual festival at the long-defunct Roosevelt Raceway (Westbury area)
that was titled "The Long Island Fair"...I recall that this M1 mockup was on display as it is shown
in these pictures - and given out was a black and white brochure with a artist concept drawing of
the new M1 car titled "The NEW Railroad for Long Island and New York City" from the MCTA (later
shortened to MTA by dropping the word "Commuter" from the title) which described features of
these new cars along with proposed LIRR improvements. RMLI has a copy of this document in
their LIRR ephemera collection.

The three mock up pictures were: 1-from the outside. Note the use of BART's A Car concepts in
some of the side photos visible...The carpets were used in "A" non-smoking cars and ended up
being removed in the late 1970s/early 1980s era in favor of rubber based flooring. B cars had
tile flooring (cars in which smoking was permitted) which was easy to notice...
2-Facing seating on the inside...Black and beige were the likely colors of these seats...
3-LIRR M1s being tested at PC's North White Plains Yard. One way or telling the LIRR M1s from
the later M1a cars was the side destination signs - the 1971-72 vintage M1a cars omitted them.
4-Quarter point M1 door area. A cars had carpets originally similar. Note the handrail on only
one of the four quad corners - these would be used in all M1 door areas. Also note the car card
ad for the long defunct Eastern Airlines...

MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote:LIRR M1s being tested at PC's North White Plains Yard.

Next to the 1962/1965 ACMUs, the M-1s looked many light years ahead. The same next to MP72s and MP75s.

In the photo taken from the exterior of the mock up, look at the four photos framing the windows. Look closely at the fiberglass end capping, was that what was originally proposed? It looks lik ethe front end of the FTA-R-44 SOAC (State Of the Art Cars) from the early 70's.

As for the egg crate lighting grilles, believe it or not, there is an M3 or two rolling around that have them on the 2' fluorescent fixtures. Don't remember which car, but its interesting how some things survive.

BuddR32 wrote:In the photo taken from the exterior of the mock up, look at the four photos framing the windows. Look closely at the fiberglass end capping, was that what was originally proposed? It looks like the front end of the FTA-R-44 SOAC (State Of the Art Cars) from the early 70's.

R32: No. The photographs are of the BART A Car - which was in development around the same
time period as the M1 (1967-68) mockup was on display.

The SOAC dates from about five years later (1972-73) and as it turned out was a pair of glorified
St. Louis Car R44 cars. The easiest spotting feature of the BART A Car is the slanted "nose cone"
along with the large single left window - the SOAC had a large two-pane front end window.
The first photo is the BART A Car and the second is the SOAC.
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/207165/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/66105/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
MACTRAXX

MACTRAXX wrote:

BuddR32 wrote:In the photo taken from the exterior of the mock up, look at the four photos framing the windows. Look closely at the fiberglass end capping, was that what was originally proposed? It looks like the front end of the FTA-R-44 SOAC (State Of the Art Cars) from the early 70's.

R32: No. The photographs are of the BART A Car - which was in development around the same
time period as the M1 (1967-68) mockup was on display.

The SOAC dates from about five years later (1972-73) and as it turned out was a pair of glorified
St. Louis Car R44 cars. The easiest spotting feature of the BART A Car is the slanted "nose cone"
along with the large single left window - the SOAC had a large two-pane front end window.
The first photo is the BART A Car and the second is the SOAC.
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/207165/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/66105/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
MACTRAXX

Thanks,
I missed the whole BART car notation in your reply, sorry.
Were the BART cars BUDD as well?

BuddR32 wrote: I missed the whole BART car notation in your reply, sorry. Were the BART cars BUDD as well?

Rohr. Interesting design - Indian broad gauge, 1kv third rail, very light cars (on the order of 55,000 lbs per car). Also has an average speed around 35mph, and 3.0mph/s acceleration to 20mph or so.

They also built the DC Metro cars. And the Monorail at the Bronx Zoo.

They were an aerospace company that tended to have a so-so reputation in that industry, too. I think UTC sucked them up a while back.