Tag Archives: R46

Rail Photo of the Month: August 2021

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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.

Rail Photo of the Month: June 2020

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R46 5984

R46 5984

Location: Smith-9th Streets Station, New York, NY
Operator of Vehicle: MTA New York City Transit
Date of Photo: August 6, 2002

Last month, I posted about the retirement of the R32 subway cars.  In conjunction with the launch of the redesigned New York section of this site, it seems appropriate to use the Rail Photo of the Month post for June to highlight what is now the oldest subway car class in New York City, the R46.  I’m not going to mince words; these are not my favorite NYC subway cars.  However, they do have a certain character thanks to their wood paneled windscreens and the New York seals on their interior walls.  Their LCD side destination signs also give the impression to some they are newer than they actually are, as these cars were manufactured starting in 1975 and are now 45 years old (two cars even had special red, white, and blue stripes and stars to commemorate the U.S. Bicentennial, shortly after their delivery).  

For many years, the R46 was a mainstay on the Queens Boulevard Line, including the F and G lines.  Therefore, many railfans have photos of these cars at the Smith-9th Streets Station, the highest elevated station on the New York City Subway.  The backdrop of photos of trains approaching from the north is Lower Manhattan and before 9/11 this included the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.  With the upcoming installation of CBTC on the Queens Boulevard Line, the R46 has been shifted to other lines and the R160 has become the most common train type on the F while the G is now operated by R68s.  However, the R46 will remain an active car type for the New York City Subway until the arrival of the R211s, expected in the early 2020s.

For more photos of the R46, please click here.