Why R-44's on SIRT?

[andre]

To settle the discussion. the R44s and R46s were built as single units and converted into permintate units during thier rebuilds. The B cars have always been B cars, and required an A car to operate.

I think you may be confused with the R62/R62A/R68/R68As, which were originally all single units and converted into linked unit sets during SMS.

The SI R44s are single units as they can operate independently (A units), unlike the linked A-B-B-A R44/46s.

Aren't there also B-unit SI R44s? I know that all of SI's R44s have couplers.

yes there are B units on SIR
and all trains have couplers

[R30A]

To clarify:
The R46s were all originally singles
The current A-B-B-A cars
In the mid 1980s they were made into A-B pairs.
In the early 1990s they were rebuilt
In the mid 1990s, the pairs were paired into quads and they were renumbered.
One A-B pair remains as a pair because another A-B pair was wrecked in 1987 leaving an odd number of pairs.

The current A-A cars remained as singles when the cars were being paired up so they could make the third car of JFK Express trains. I do not know when these were made into pairs, but I suspect it was during GOH. Unlike the A-B pairs, the A-A pairs were done in order, although not renumbered in order when renumbering occurred in the mid 90s.

With the R44s, they renumbered them when they rebuilt them in the early 90s. I am not sure if the R44s were ever made into pairs prior to their overhaul.

[Fan Railer]

I am not sure if the R44s were ever made into pairs prior to their overhaul.

No, they were not.

[District D RTC]

The only R46s expected to head to SI are the PAIRS not the 4-car units.

And ANY cars not purpose built for SIRT service will need to be modified [somewhat] to comply with FRA standards.

[BobLI]

What modifications are needed to update to FRA standards?

[Kamen Rider]

off the top of my head replacement of the horns (MUE-2s have a two tone horn), installation of headlight dimers, these plow like plates in front of the wheels and more grab holds on the outside. the side destination signs will probably be removed. I think SI also uses a de-icer system in the doors, might want to install that.

[type 7 3704]

The SIRT R44's were GOH'd differently I believe. They had their belt strip replaced with stainless steel, while the mainline R44s kept their carbon steel ones (which was why they were painted gray), which later corroded heavily and contributed heavily to their demise.

[railfan365]

The SIRT R44's were GOH'd differently I believe. They had their belt strip replaced with stainless steel, while the mainline R44s kept their carbon steel ones (which was why they were painted gray), which later corroded heavily and contributed heavily to their demise.

20/20 hindsight - I have wondered why the R-44 car bodies were 95% stainless steel but not where the blue stripe was. Every other rail car that I've seen was entirely stainless on the outside or not at all - except for the original R-32's - 42's when the doors were painted.

[R36 Combine Coach]

I have wondered why the R-44 car bodies were 95% stainless steel but not where the blue stripe was. Every other rail car that I've seen was entirely stainless on the outside or not at all - except for the original R-32's - 42's when the doors were painted.

The St. Louis stainless cars (R38, R40, R40, R42) were not fully stainless. The roof was LAHT, as well as the underbody and sills. The R42s (and R38s) could often be seen with heavy rusting on the rooflines, rocker areas and sills.