R32's on A trains

Today several A trains running to Lefferts Blvd had R32's as the consist. A T/O seemed to indicate that this may be a pattern for the summer. You can get above ground photos on the elevated stations between 80 St and Lefferts Blvd.

granton junction wrote:Today several A trains running to Lefferts Blvd had R32's as the consist. A T/O seemed to indicate that this may be a pattern for the summer. You can get above ground photos on the elevated stations between 80 St and Lefferts Blvd.

Haha yep, we know. It's been like this for the past two summers. Took a nice long railfan video of one of the sets from 42nd street to Euclid Ave. I shall post here later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St0JKMk_z5Q - New York City Subway R32 A Train Departing Euclid Avenue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS9VRXXTbxA - Railfanning New York City Subway SMS R32 A Train from 42nd Street PABT to Euclid Avenue

Time lapses of the long railfan video posted above:
x2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eImuCWRFEo
x4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv7XAAVg1aY
x8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1pvfG1slbc

Don't tell me I'll have to read the destination signs to tell an A from a C now!

SlowFreight wrote:Don't tell me I'll have to read the destination signs to tell an A from a C now!

No. All C trains are operating with R46s, which means they are also full length.

Great news. Maybe I can catch a good A-train ride. What is the reason they swap the R46's and R-32's for the Summer?

Head-end View wrote:Great news. Maybe I can catch a good A-train ride. What is the reason they swap the R46's and R-32's for the Summer?

Air-conditioning.

Am I imagining things? I think the R32 cars are faster than the R46 cars especially on the express and Broad Channel run.

BobLI wrote:Am I imagining things? I think the R32 cars are faster than the R46 cars especially on the express and Broad Channel run.

Well, lets see, they're lighter, and they have more horsepower per train set. So that wouldn't be too surprising.

Terrapin, both fleets ARE air-conditioned. Are you saying the A/C is more dependable on one fleet or the other?

Head-end View wrote:Terrapin, both fleets ARE air-conditioned. Are you saying the A/C is more dependable on one fleet or the other?

It's been well established that the HVAC units on the R32s are prone to failure during the summer months on the C due to the fact that the entire line is underground. By switching the R46s with the R32s and placing the latter fleet on the A for the time being, strain on the HVAC units of the older cars is reduced because the A spends a decent amount of time above ground as opposed to the C. Apparently, the R46 HVACs can handle the hot, dank, and stuffy tunnel weather in the summer better than the R32s.

I've been on the 8th Avenue several times recently to see R-32's and R-46's running on both the A and the C.

I also saw an R-42 running on the A-line today. Too bad it was going the other way at 34th St.

Head-end View wrote:I also saw an R-42 running on the A-line today. Too bad it was going the other way at 34th St.

That's a suprise. I thought that all of the surviving R-42's were based in East NY in J/Z service, and that R-46's were being transferred from Jamaica to Pitkin for filling in on A service.