Railroad Forums 

Discussion relating to the past and present operations of the NYC Subway, PATH, and Staten Island Railway (SIRT).

Moderator: GirlOnTheTrain

 #1539150  by R36 Combine Coach
 
The R32 fleet has been held out of service (temporarily) from the A/C lines due to reduced schedules and concern for crews as a result of COVID epidemic, as they lack full cabs and conductors must ride between cars and move between cabs. They are expected to return when service returns to normal levels, perhaps next year. (R211 deliveries have been delayed)

The ban on trains lacking full cabs also applies to the NYTM fleet, as the prewar cars require conductors to ride between cars and postwar SMEE cars lack full cabs. This means no NYTM excursions or events until the epidemic is fully over, regular schedules have resumed and sufficient crews are available.
 #1539254  by Backshophoss
 
The R-32 were laid up,not retired,they are still road worthy,the amount of sick transit workers system-wide and lack of ridership
lead to the R-32 layup,due to the lack of full cabs.
For now the R-44's are considered stored/retired,but could be brought back on line,cars are not stripped of parts yet.
 #1539333  by andrewjw
 
Backshophoss wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:51 pm The R-32 were laid up,not retired,they are still road worthy,the amount of sick transit workers system-wide and lack of ridership
lead to the R-32 layup,due to the lack of full cabs.
For now the R-44's are considered stored/retired,but could be brought back on line,cars are not stripped of parts yet.
Do you mean R-42 or R-46 not R-44?
 #1540374  by dieciduej
 
I have heard, from a reliable source, all of the R-32s are retired as of April 8, 2020. :(

They were first laid up due to the reduction in service (Essential Service Schedule), the elimination of the C at this time as well as the steep decline in ridership. The retirement decision was supposedly due the new disinfection and deep cleaning standards and certifications that will be put in place when life returns to normal. (RANT: I don't think can get any subway super clean!) Eight R-32s are being converted to work service, 3430/1, 3780/1, 3798/9 and 3804/5 with possible more to follow.

I hope the clears up things. I will miss them, we're both the same age and make the same creaky sounds although the look better with their shiny stainless steel bodies! :P
 #1540652  by R36 Combine Coach
 
Already four: 3350-3351, 3352-3353 (NYTM fleet, on the 9/9/64 inaugural special). Ten R32s are already are assigned as work motors and given the all stainless construction, I suspect the survival rate for them (about 222 still around) to be high. Some R42s are also expected to be assigned as work motors.
 #1540719  by GirlOnTheTrain
 
An internal memo found its way onto Reddit - the 32s are officially out of active passenger service this coming Monday, the 27th...and the R179 delivery is officially complete.

Pour one out for the Brightliners.

Memo can be found here, can't make the link pretty on mobile :wink:
https://www.reddit.com/r/nycrail/commen ... urce=share
 #1540737  by MACTRAXX
 
R36: When were the R32 cars overhauled and rebuilt? I remember 1988-1989 and the
rebuild date was placed on a plaque at the car ends inside. I recall that these cars were hollowed out literally to the stainless steel car body and rebuilt with new components

Whenever I read about complaints or otherwise about the age of the R32 cars it seems
that no one mentions - or conveniently overlooks - that these cars had an extensive mid life rebuilding...MACTRAXX
 #1540754  by R36 Combine Coach
 
MACTRAXX wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2020 6:15 pmR36: When were the R32 cars overhauled and rebuilt? I remember 1988-1989 and the rebuild date was placed on a plaque at the car ends inside. I recall that these cars were hollowed out literally to the stainless steel car body and rebuilt with new components.
1987-1990 at Morrison Knudsen. The first batch rebuilt were "Phase I" with GE controllers and WABCO braking, the "Phase II" that followed (all retired by 2008) had Westinghouse controllers and NYAB. 10 R32s were rebuilt by GE in 1987 as a pilot program, they entered service in 1988.

Control equipment, motors, braking, doors, HVAC, lighting, flooring, window glazing, signs and interior poles and grab bars were all new. Seating is original 1965 bench seating. Trucks were rebuilt, not all new. One major upgrade was new 115 HP GE 1257/WE 1447J motors (460 HP/car), replacing the 100 HP GE 1240/WE 1447C (400/car) motors.

The decision to "retire" R32s likely is an acknowledgement by NYCT that the pandemic is worse than thought and by the time full schedules are restored, sufficient R211s might be delivered to render the R32 fleet moot.
 #1541846  by Head-end View
 
If this is true it's a sad time for NYC Subway railfanning. The R-32's are among my old favorites and are the last of that generation of cars. Well they lasted fifty-five years. I guess even they couldn't last forever.
 #1541863  by njtmnrrbuff
 
In all of my 36 years in this world, I have enjoyed the R32 cars so much. They served their purpose for several decades and sadly, their time has come. I do hope that, from a business perspective, there are some sets of them used as backup for if there aren't enough R211s to replace the R32s. I hope that when things return to normal, there will be a farewell to the R32 excursion.
 #1541872  by R36 Combine Coach
 
njt/mnrrbuff wrote: Wed May 06, 2020 9:57 pmI do hope that, from a business perspective, there are some sets of them used as backup for if there aren't enough R211s to replace the R32s.
No R32s or R42s are being scrapped anytime soon. All are stored serviceable and may be used as needed.
 #1541925  by njtmnrrbuff
 
[quote="R36 Combine Coach" post_id=1541872 time=1588825390 user_id=14277]
[quote=njt/mnrrbuff post_id=1541863 time=1588820245 user_id=2821]I do hope that, from a business perspective, there are some sets of them used as backup for if there aren't enough R211s to replace the R32s.[/quote]No R32s or R42s are being scrapped anytime soon. All are stored serviceable and may be used as needed.
[/quote]

Just like a mainline commuter railroad, anything can happen on subway systems. I don't think there have been many R211s testing yet and I don't know yet when they will be testing. We could certainly the R32s continue to run some more time once things get closer to normal.