R39 (New York City Subway car)
Encyclopedia
R39 was the proposed contract number for lightweight subway
/elevated
New York City Subway
cars. They were intended to replace old equipment running on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
in Brooklyn
and the IRT Third Avenue Line
in The Bronx
.
The cars, which were to have been built to IRT
dimensions, were to be a smaller, lighter-weight version of the R38
car, and were to have been ordered in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Portions of the elevated structures of the lines for which these cars were intended were built in the late 19th century and had never been strengthened to accommodate the standard subway cars used on all other lines.
The Budd Company used a possible outline of this car as .
The cars were never ordered as it was determined that it would be possible to discontinue and dismantle the lines where the R39 would be used. The Myrtle Avenue Line south of the junction with the BMT Jamaica Line
was discontinued in 1969, and the remaining Third Avenue Line in 1973.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
/elevated
Elevated railway
An elevated railway is a form of rapid transit railway with the tracks built above street level on some form of viaduct or other steel or concrete structure. The railway concerned may be constructed according to the standard gauge, narrow gauge, light rail, monorail or suspension railway system...
New York City Subway
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. They were intended to replace old equipment running on the BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
BMT Myrtle Avenue Line
The Myrtle Avenue Line, also called the Myrtle Avenue Elevated, is a fully elevated line of the New York City Subway as part of the BMT division. The extant line is the final remnant of one of the original Brooklyn elevated railroads...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
and the IRT Third Avenue Line
IRT Third Avenue Line
The IRT Third Avenue Line, commonly known as the Third Avenue El, was an elevated railway in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York City. Originally operated by an independent railway company, it was acquired by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and eventually became part of the New York subway...
in The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
.
The cars, which were to have been built to IRT
Interborough Rapid Transit Company
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company was the private operator of the original underground New York City Subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the City in June 1940...
dimensions, were to be a smaller, lighter-weight version of the R38
R38 (New York City Subway car)
The R38 is a New York City Subway car class built in 1966–1967 for the New York City Transit Authority to run on routes previously operated by the IND and BMT. A total of 200 R38 cars were ordered.-Description:...
car, and were to have been ordered in the late 1960s or early 1970s. Portions of the elevated structures of the lines for which these cars were intended were built in the late 19th century and had never been strengthened to accommodate the standard subway cars used on all other lines.
The Budd Company used a possible outline of this car as .
The cars were never ordered as it was determined that it would be possible to discontinue and dismantle the lines where the R39 would be used. The Myrtle Avenue Line south of the junction with the BMT Jamaica Line
BMT Jamaica Line
The Jamaica Line is an elevated rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway, in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City, United States. It runs from the Williamsburg Bridge southeast over Broadway to East New York, Brooklyn, and then east over Fulton Street and Jamaica Avenue to...
was discontinued in 1969, and the remaining Third Avenue Line in 1973.