R46 6166

Location: Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street, New York, NY
Operator of Vehicle: MTA New York City Transit
Date of Photo: September 2, 2019

Last month, the R46 subway cars marked 51 years of revenue service.  These cars first entered service on July 14, 1975.  Since the retirement of the R32 cars in early 2022, the R46 cars are the oldest currently running on the New York City Subway, but they are being phased out as this is written.  As the new R211 cars are delivered, additional R46 cars are being removed from service.

The R46 order was the largest single order of passenger train cars at the time of its completion, with 754 trains built.  The R46s were the second 75 foot long cars ordered for the B Division (former IND and BMT lines) with the expectation that they would soon be operating on the Second Avenue subway.  That eventually happened, but it took quite a few decades.  The R46 trains also incorporated some design improvements from the similar R44 cars, including a larger operator’s cab.  Unfortunately, this cab is a full width cab so there is no railfan window on these trains.  Although not as sluggish as the R68 or R68A fleet, which are nicknamed hippos, I’ve never felt that they were particularly fast.  Perhaps these characteristics are part of why these cars have never been my favorites.

After being a mainstay on the E, F, G, and R train for many years, the R46s were moved to the A as R160 trains arrived and R44 trains were retired.  The remaining cars now run on the N, Q, and W.

Happy 51st birthday R46s!  We’ll have to wait and see if they make it to a 52nd one.

For more photos of the R46 subway cars, please click here.  

R46 5994

Location: Broad Channel Station, Queens, NY
Operator of Vehicle: MTA New York City Transit
Date of Photo: September 3, 2019

In late June, the first of the new R211 cars was delivered for acceptance testing, While they probably won’t enter revenue service until some time in 2022, their delivery does mark the beginning of the end for what are currently the oldest subway cars in New York, the R46s. The R46s certainly reflect the 1970s when they were built in terms of interior color scheme and other features such as transverse seating, wood paneled windscreens, and a lack of traditional straps for commuters to hold while standing. Fittingly, the R211s that will replace the R46s are also meant to revolutionize subway car design with new LED front end signage, open gangways, interior LED lighting and wider doors.

For more photos of the R46s, please click here.