MS Multi-section car (New York City Subway car)
Encyclopedia
The MS Multi-section, a series of New York City Subway
cars, was built in prototype form in 1934 with production models built in 1936. They were called "Multis" for short.
and Pullman Company
. were known as the Green Hornet (from Pullman Company
) and the Zephyr (from the Budd Company
), both names unofficial. The Green Hornet (and the 25 production cars) had two double-leaf doors on each section (10 doors per unit), while the Zephyr had four single-leaf doors on each section (20 doors per unit). These cars were in production at the same time as the Union Pacific M-10000
and the Budd Pioneer Zephyr
for the CB&Q. Testing of these cars proved successful and the BMT ordered a further 25 cars, 15 from Pullman and 10 from St. Louis Car Co.
The Green Hornet had undergone some slight modifications, and the BMT management hoped to eventually run it in consists with the Pullman-Standard built Multi units. However, with the onset of World War II
, the Green Hornet was scrapped in 1942 for its valuable aluminum body. The unit had been plagued by master controller problems and was only in service for three years before it was withdrawn after maintenance revealed two cracked trucks. The Zephyr had a much better service record and remained in service on the Franklin Avenue Shuttle until it was retired in 1954. The unit was scrapped in 1959.
The 25 production cars were introduced in 1936, but were quickly withdrawn from service for truck modifications. The St. Louis built units over the years were particularly troublesome in that regard.
They were returned to service one year later and began serving on the Canarsie Line. In December, 1956, they were transferred to Myrtle-Chambers service for purposes of cutting their mileage, as was commonly done at the time with all oddball types of equipment. One train in addition ran in the Broadway Short Line service. In February, 1958, a few units underwent a one week stint in Franklin Ave. service (shuttle and on the last day, a Sunday, local to Brighton Beach). They were retired from service on September 5, 1961 and scrapped later that year.
The MS was notable for its rapid acceleration rate (4 mph/s [1.8 m/s²] for the Green Hornet and the 25 production cars, and 5 mph/s [2.2 m/s²] for the Zephyr) and its "balancing speed" — the maximum speed attainable on level track, running empty — was relatively high (53 mph [85 km/h] for the Green Hornet, 55 mph [89 km/h] for the Zephyr, and 58 mph [93 km/h] for the 25 production units).
Another interesting fact was that the Zephyr was built without couplers, so it could only operate as a single unit.
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
cars, was built in prototype form in 1934 with production models built in 1936. They were called "Multis" for short.
Background
The MS was an articulated car made up of five sections. Their average length was 170 ft (52 m), making them the longest articulated units ever used in the history of the BMT. The first two pilot cars, numbered 7003 and 7029 were delivered in 1934 by the Budd CompanyBudd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
and Pullman Company
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
. were known as the Green Hornet (from Pullman Company
Pullman Company
The Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
) and the Zephyr (from the Budd Company
Budd Company
The Budd Company is a metal fabricator and major supplier of body components to the automobile industry, and was formerly a manufacturer of stainless steel passenger rail cars during the 20th century....
), both names unofficial. The Green Hornet (and the 25 production cars) had two double-leaf doors on each section (10 doors per unit), while the Zephyr had four single-leaf doors on each section (20 doors per unit). These cars were in production at the same time as the Union Pacific M-10000
M-10000
The Union Pacific Railroad's M-10000, delivered to the railroad on February 12, 1934, at a cost of $230,997, was the first internal combustion engine, lightweight streamlined express passenger train in the United States. The carbodies and interior fittings were built by Pullman-Standard...
and the Budd Pioneer Zephyr
Pioneer Zephyr
The Pioneer Zephyr is a diesel-powered railroad train formed of railroad cars permanently articulated together with Jacobs bogies, built by the Budd Company in 1934 for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad , commonly known as the Burlington...
for the CB&Q. Testing of these cars proved successful and the BMT ordered a further 25 cars, 15 from Pullman and 10 from St. Louis Car Co.
History
The two units were initially tested on the Fulton St. el for comparison, and when the tests were concluded they were relegated to Franklin Ave. Shuttle service, almost never appearing in through service to Brighton Beach or Coney Island except occasionally for put-ins or layups.The Green Hornet had undergone some slight modifications, and the BMT management hoped to eventually run it in consists with the Pullman-Standard built Multi units. However, with the onset of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Green Hornet was scrapped in 1942 for its valuable aluminum body. The unit had been plagued by master controller problems and was only in service for three years before it was withdrawn after maintenance revealed two cracked trucks. The Zephyr had a much better service record and remained in service on the Franklin Avenue Shuttle until it was retired in 1954. The unit was scrapped in 1959.
The 25 production cars were introduced in 1936, but were quickly withdrawn from service for truck modifications. The St. Louis built units over the years were particularly troublesome in that regard.
They were returned to service one year later and began serving on the Canarsie Line. In December, 1956, they were transferred to Myrtle-Chambers service for purposes of cutting their mileage, as was commonly done at the time with all oddball types of equipment. One train in addition ran in the Broadway Short Line service. In February, 1958, a few units underwent a one week stint in Franklin Ave. service (shuttle and on the last day, a Sunday, local to Brighton Beach). They were retired from service on September 5, 1961 and scrapped later that year.
The MS was notable for its rapid acceleration rate (4 mph/s [1.8 m/s²] for the Green Hornet and the 25 production cars, and 5 mph/s [2.2 m/s²] for the Zephyr) and its "balancing speed" — the maximum speed attainable on level track, running empty — was relatively high (53 mph [85 km/h] for the Green Hornet, 55 mph [89 km/h] for the Zephyr, and 58 mph [93 km/h] for the 25 production units).
Another interesting fact was that the Zephyr was built without couplers, so it could only operate as a single unit.
MS Multi-section Specifications
- Car Builder: Pullman - 7003, 7014-7028 / St Louis Car 7004-7013 /Budd - 7029
- Car Body:
- Unit Numbers: 7003, 7014-7028, 7004-7013, 7029
- Fleet: 27 units
- Car Length: 168 ft 6 in (Zephyr)/170 ft (Green Hornet)/179 ft 4 in (production cars)
- Car Width: 10 ft over thresholds (Green Hornet and Zephyr)/ 10 ft 10 in over thresholds (production cars)
- Car Height: 12 ft (Green Hornet and production cars)/11 ft 7.5 in (Zephyr)
- Track Gauge: 4 ft 8.5 in.
- Propulsion System: Westinghouse XD29 P.C.C. Multi-Notch 47 pts (Green Hornet, and St. Louis Car production cars), General Electric 17KG39A1 (Pullman Standard production cars), 17KG21A (Zephyr "C" car), 17KM1C (Zephyr "A, A1" cars)
- Motors (on every axle):Westinghouse M1431A, 1433, General Electric 1196A1, 1186
- Power (per motor) : 70 hp (52 kW)
- Total Seating: 170, 184, 198 (Zephyr, Green Hornet, production Cars)
- Total Standing: 496, 490, 514 (Zephyr, Green Hornet, production Cars)
- Total Weight: 170,610 lb (77,390 kg) (Green Hornet), 159,250 lb (72,230 kg) (Zephyr), 180,830 lb (82,020 kg) (production cars)