The R-142
I rode the R-142 on the
number 6 line today.
I honestly didn’t think I’d
like it. I’ve always been a fan of the
old stuff like the Lo-V’s and the Red Birds.
But, I must admit that I liked it very much. I rode it the entire length of the 6 line from Brooklyn Bridge to
Pelham Bay Park. It went local all the
way. The seating is a major improvement
over the R-110. The inside is actually
very similar to the Red Birds. The
seats are parallel, just like the Red Birds.
There are handicapped seats at one end of each car. These seat fold up to allow wheelchairs to
fit in the space. The seats are only
big enough for one person. At the other
end of the car, there is a “loveseat” like on the Red Birds. There are intercoms on the train to call for
help. The handrails run most of the
length of the car. There is a set above
each row of seats, and a handrail that extends down the middle of the ceiling. There are also handrails next to the doors
that are very similar to what you may find on Metro North. The doors are directly across from each
other in some cars, and diagonally across in others. The annoying buzzer of the R-110 has been replaced by the old
“ding, dong.” Thank God. However, it is a bit faster than on the
R-62’s. The automated announce system
is very good. A female announces the
stops, and a male announces that the doors are closing. There are two electric signs per car, which
hang from the ceiling. They tell you
the line number, the time, and the next stop.
On the outside of the train, the colored marker signs are gone. The electric marker signs are much better
than the ones one the R-32s and R-38s. So
far, I have only seen them display red, but I’m told they can display other
colors as well. The braking is mostly
dynamic, but it does use air when the train is almost stopped. The classic controller and brake handle are
gone. A newer type controller has been
installed. The motorman has a
full-length cab, as does the conductor.
As far as I know, the trains can operate in single units. They are not married pairs. The motorman’s cab looks like something out
of Star Trek. Thankfully, the sound
insulation isn’t that good so you can still hear most of the outside
click-clack. One nice feature is that
there are windows on the ends of the cars, like PATH, so you can easily see
into the next car. The doors to go in
between the cars are double, and sliding one slides the other. The motorman and conductor’s cabs are not
like this. There are no windows
here. As for the color scheme: Blue seats and marble-like walls. Everything else is pretty much silver and
gray, like the R-62’s. The lighting
runs right above the seats, with lights perpendicular to the seats right above
the doors. The lighting is the best
I’ve ever seen in a subway car.
In closing, I must admit I
really like the R-142. On these new
trains, I feel the TA finally got it right.
Ride it as soon as you can!