R160A (New York City Subway car) Totally Explained

Everything about R160a New York City Subway Car totally explained

in autumn 2006. |Manufacturer = Alstom |Operator = Metropolitan Transportation Authority |Formation = 4 or 5 car sets |Built = 400 cars (base order), with an option order of 360 cars (purchased on July 25, 2007), with another 260 cars still on option, for a total of 1,020 possible cars. |LinesServed =,,,, and |InService = 2006-present |Refurbishment = |CarLength = 18.34m (60 ft 2.5 inches) |CarWidth = 2.9m (9ft 9.28 inches) |CarHeight = 3.7m (12ft .36 inches) |Weight = 38.6t (85,200lb) when empty
55.3t (122,000lb) when full |Capacity = 240 (cab)
246 (no cab) |MaxSpeed = 88km/h (55mph) |Gauge = 1,435mm (4ft 8½ inches) |Traction = |Voltage = 600V DC third rail}}
The R160A is a class of 400 New York City Subway cars being built by Alstom Transportation. The R160A base order is part of a $961,687,121 contract funded in part by a grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The R160 is designed to operate on the New York City Transit Authority's lettered lines ("B" Division), and intended to replace older subway cars. Some of these older subway cars have been in service since 1964. The primary base order of the R160 class consists of 660 cars. The base order was broken into R160A and R160B classes because the cars are being built by different manufacturers. Alstom is assembling 400 R160A cars at its manufacturing plant in Hornell, New York. Kawasaki is assembling 260 R160B cars at its plant in Yonkers, New York.
The R160A base order is further broken down into two different sets. R160A-1 sets are 4 car sets that will run on the BMT's Eastern Division (the,,, and lines) because the platform lengths on these lines can't accommodate longer trains. The R160A-2 sets are 5 car sets.
Currently, R160A-1s are running on the,,, and services. R160A-1s 8313-8556 and R160A-2s 8653-8662 have been delivered so far. R160A-1s 8313-8504 are in service.(External Link

) . One R160A-2 10 car set (8653-8662) is currently running on the line.
On July 25, 2007, the MTA had ordered 360 additional R160As, part of the option order. These cars are to arrive by 2009.

Features

One of the major changes and highlights of the new cars is the addition of the electronic "FIND" (Flexible Information and Notice Display) display, which includes an LCD screen displaying the route, route information and advertisements, and a tri-color (red, yellow, green) LED strip map which displays the next ten stations, plus five consecutive "further stations" to riders. There will be three of these in every car. The display updates the stations at every stop, also giving the number of stops to each station listed, and replaces a plastic card which had a set route and stations printed on, which was used in the R142, R142A, R142S, and R143 cars. This allows instant route or line changes with the correct information, which includes, but isn't limited to, omitting of certain stops.

Production problems

Alstom has encountered significant production problems since being awarded the base contract. In July 2005, Alstom missed its contractual deadline to deliver a 10-car test train, which arrived five months late in December, to the New York City Transit Authority. Alstom requested three additional months to deliver the test train. In addition, the Transit Authority rejected several car shells made in a plant in Lapa, Brazil, near São Paulo, after discovering welding defects.

Delivery problems

Alstom is also behind on its delivery schedule. Alstom was to have delivered 200 out of the 400 car base order by September 2007. However, by that month, Alstom had only delivered 80 cars. Under the base contract, Alstom agreed to pay damages of $800 a day for late deliveries of four-car trains, and $1,000 a day for five-car trains. However, the Transit Authority hasn't yet fined Alstom for its late deliveries and was negotiating with Alstom to accelerate their delivery schedule. The 200 cars were delivered 7 months late in early April. As of May, 2008, Alstom has delivered 254 cars. Alstom has to send 146 cars left for the base order to be complete.

Specifications

Car Builder	Alstom Transport Inc., Hornell, NY and Lapa, Brazil
Car Body	Pure stainless steel with fiberglass front and rear bonnets.
Unit Numbers	4 Car Set: 8313-8652 and 5 Car Set: 8653-8712
Fleet size	760 cars (including options purchased on July 25, 2007)
Car dimensions	Length: 60 feet, 2-1/2 inches (18.3 m)
	Width: 10 feet (3.048 m)
	Height: 12 feet, 1-5/8 inches (3.7 m)
Car weight	85,200 lb
Track Gauge	4 feet, 8-1/2 inches (1.435 m)
Maximum Operating Speed	55 MPH (Maximum design speed around 65 MPH)
Brakes	Dynamic braking propulsion system; WABCO friction braking system
Propulsion System	Alstom Onix AC Traction
Seating capacity	Cab car (A car): 40 (42 for cars 8313 - 8320 and 8653 - 8662) / No Cab (B car): 44
Standing Capacity	Cab car: 200 (198 for cars 8313 - 8320 and 8653 - 8662), No cab: 202
Total capacity (seating plus standing)	Cab car: 240, No cab: 246
Built in 4-Car sets or 5-Car sets
Cost per new car	USD$1.3 million

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