The R-110A (contract R130) was a prototype class of New York City Subway cars delivered in 1992. The R110A was designed to test out new technology features that would be incorporated into R142 fleet. Built by Kawasaki, there are ten cars, unit numbered 8001-8010, and they are permanently coupled in five-car sets.
In each five-car set, there is a full width cab at each end. The cab cars are powered by 4 traction motors each. The center car of the each five-car set is an unpowered trailer, and the other 2 cars are powered by 2 traction motors each.
The cab is computerized, with a control stand consisting of a single lever for traction and braking control, a reversing key, a small numeric and symbol keypad, and an LCD flat panel display. The display is used in conjunction with the keypad to control doors, reset alarms of various sorts including the passenger alert system, display train speed and braking information and much more.
The R110A cars are similar to R62 cars, but they have squarer ends and wider passenger entry doors (about a foot wider than the R62 doors). All car ends are clear lexan glass, allowing passengers to see the next car. The bodies are stainless steel.
Seating is improved by eliminating the bucket seats in favor of comfortable benches in bright colors. The benches, unlike the R62 cars have some forwards facing seating combined with standard longitudinal seating. One side is shifted from the other, making part of the bench on one side of the car face a door on the other side. Some seating space is removed to allow for wider doors. Interior surfaces are fiberglass, which is resistant to graffiti.
There are LED exterior line indicator signs on all cars, LCD destination signs in windows, and LED interior next stop/variable message signs inside the cars.
As of 1999, the R110A cars are out of service due to brake problems and fire damage. They are not likely to see revenue passenger service again. As of December 8, 2011, the cars are in storage at the 239th Street Yard.
Famous quotes containing the words york, city and/or subway:
“I’m the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may seem, serious New York theater has died in my lifetime.”
—Arthur Miller (b. 1915)
“Today’s city is the most vulnerable social structure ever conceived by man.”
—Martin Oppenheimer (b. 1930)
“In New York—whose subway trains in particular have been “tattooed” with a brio and an energy to put our own rude practitioners to shame—not an inch of free space is spared except that of advertisements.... Even the most chronically dispossessed appear prepared to endorse the legitimacy of the “haves.””
—Gilbert Adair, British author, critic. “Cleaning and Cleansing,” Myths and Memories (1986)