Railroad Forums 

  • #4 Red Line Cars 1900-2151

  • Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.
Discussion relating to commuter rail, light rail, and subway operations of the MBTA.

Moderators: sery2831, CRail

 #1562853  by caduceus
 
I seem to recall at least the old Blue Line cars (pre-#4 cars, too young to remember specifics) having the metal handholds that you had to pull down as they swiveled up out of the way when not in use. Then its been just the bars forever until the straps came in.

I seem to recall having encountered the straps before, but don't know where/when other than possibly the same timeframe.
 #1562872  by Head-end View
 
Oh, the new straps are heavy-duty plastic? Okay, that's good too. But the irony of things having come a full circle is still there. :wink:
 #1562918  by rethcir
 
Uh, haven't the straps BEEN heavy duty plastic? The trains have had those straps for at least as long as I've ridden the Red Line, 15 odd years.
 #1562961  by Head-end View
 
You're probably right. I only ride up in Boston about once a year and those plastic straps still seem new to me. I'm an old school NYC subway rider who grew up with metal straps on our trains until they disappeared some years ago.
 #1562964  by R36 Combine Coach
 
The Redbirds (R26-R36) were last with straphangers, though the R32-R42 had them removed during rebuilds.
Buses still have them.
 #1562982  by jwhite07
 
The last use of metal loop handholds in Boston were on the 01400s, which were spring loaded and flipped up out of the way when not in use. The "straphanger" era returned a few years ago when cars on all lines began receiving straps made of some kind of plastic/rubbery material looped around the existing horizontal metal grab bars above the seats. They're allegedly some kind of hygienic material, but I wouldn't touch them even before the pandemic. They're also really annoying - I am not particularly tall, but they hang low enough that I'm constantly brushing my head against them when I stand up from a seat.
 #1563013  by HenryAlan
 
Head-end View wrote: Mon Feb 08, 2021 9:34 pm Not sure if Boston cars had them, but years ago all New York City subway cars had metal straps. But they were eliminated in newer car orders since the 1970's being as mechanical devices got too expensive so passengers just held on to the bars for the last forty years.
Boston had the metal straps. I remember them on the older Red Line cars in the 80s. That said, I wouldn't necessarily see a return to flexible straps as a step down. As you note, mechanical devices are more complicated to maintain and repair, and I can't recall any attributes to the metal "straps" that provided added value.
 #1563396  by jonnhrr
 
MBTA3247 wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 5:42 am The straps are heavy-duty plastic.
Hopefully the plastic is cleanable, especially in the Age of COVID. Back at the turn of the 20th Century transit cars used leather straps. During the Influenza epidemic it was found that leather was difficult to clean and therefore could transfer the virus, so transit companies converted to metal. Hopefully we don't need to relearn that lesson.

Jon
 #1565307  by Commuterrail1050
 
Not sure why it’s taking them forever to build more red line cars, but 2 new orange line cars came each month. Still nothing for the red even though that is now slated to be completed in 3 years to 2024
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