R32 (New York City Subway Car)

R32 (New York City Subway Car)

The R32 is a New York City Subway car model built in 1964-65 by the Budd Company in Philadelphia for the IND/BMT B Division. These cars were the first mass-produced stainless steel cars built for the New York City Subway. The two previous Budd orders, the BMT Zephyr and the R11 contract, were limited production orders. Their horizontally ribbed, shiny, and unpainted stainless exteriors earned the cars the nickname Brightliners.

They are the oldest subway cars in passenger service in New York City today at 48 years old, well past the average service life of 35 years, and often cited for their superior durability and craftsmanship. They are also the only subway cars currently in service that were built for the New York City Transit Authority prior to its merger with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1968. Five other car types built after them have been mostly or completely retired.

In August 2011, the New York Times called the R32s "a dreary reminder to passengers of an earlier subterranean era," and said that "time has taken a toll" on the cars. A 2011 Straphangers Campaign survey found that the C train, where the R32s were assigned at the time, broke down the most frequently of all trains in the system.