The R44 was the first 75 foot car for the New York Subway. The reason why 75' cars were introduced for IND and BMT service is that 8 75' cars can equal a 10-car train of 60' cars. In 1971 the R44 debuted, being a different car from previous models.

These were the last subway cars built by St. Louis Car Company, which in 1974, left the rail transit car business after the R44 order was completed.

These cars, unlike older ones were single or in pairs, were linked in ABBA sets. A cars were even number cars with cabs. B cars were odd-numbers, no cabs. This system continued onto the subsequent R46 cars.

The R44 was the first subway car in which a warning tone sounded immediately before the doors begin to close as the train prepares to leave the station; the tone consists of two notes which are often described as "bim-bam" since they are the same as the first two notes of the Westminster Chimes.

It's also set World Speed Record for a subway car. On January 31, 1972, the Transit Authority used a consist of R44 cars to conduct speed trials on the Long Island Railroad's main line tracks between Woodside and Jamaica. The R44s set an official world speed record, for subway trains, of 87.75 mph, with TA personnel noting that the consist was still accelerating as it approached the end of the designated 5.9 mile-long test track. The TA repeated the speed trial, this time purposefully disabling two out of four motors per car, to indirectly simulate the effect of a rush hour crowd of passengers. The train still managed to reach 77 mph.

The R44 was rebuilt in 1991-1992. They are unit numbered 5202-5479 (subway) and 388-435, 436-466 EVEN (Staten Island Railway). Currently they are on the A-8 Avenue Express, as well as the S - Rockaway Shuttle and MTA Staten Island Railway.

R44 Specs

• Car Length: 75 Feet
• Car Width: 10 Feet
• CAR HEIGHT: 12 feet 0.3 inches
• Car Body: Stainless Steel with Carbon Steel chassis and underbody
• Unit Numbers: SUBWAY: 5202-5479; STATEN ISLAND RAILWAY^: 388-435 (4-car sets), 436-466 EVEN
• Horsepower: 115 / 4 per car
• PROPULSION: Westinghouse, DC Motors
• Max Speed: ~ 60 MPH
• Total Seats: (Cab Car) A car: 90 / (No cab) B car: 96
• 4-car sets; even numbers have cabs; odd numbers "blind". Cars are numbered consecutively in set. Lowest number usually divides only by two. Highest number in pair is odd. 5403 part of odd bunch.
• Cars 5201-5481 originally 100-387 (but not in order); 388-399 originally NYC Subway then transfered to Staten Island Rapid Transit.
• Out-of-sequence set numbering (based on observation- not an exhaustive list): 5270-5249-5251-5250, 5284-5271-5269-5268
• 16 cars have been scrapped or put out of service due to accidents, rust and damage.
• Rebuild by NYCT parent by MTA in 207 Street Overhaul Shop in Inwood, Manhattan

Denotes: ^ - Staten Island Railway's R44 cars are under in FRA wavier due to Staten Island Railway is on FRA system (Federal Railroad Adminstation).

External links

nycsubway.org - NYC Subway Cars: R44