Meet the R110B!
R110B at the 207th Street Yard, c. 1990s; New York Transit Museum Collection, 2005.61.120
The R110B looks very different from all other subway cars in the New York Transit Museum’s collection…because it is! It is one of two prototype cars in service from 1993 to 2001 that gave a “real world” test to many technological advances; many of which would eventually be integrated into the next generation of subway cars, called New Technology Trains (“NTT”). NTT trains include the R142, the R179, and the R211. The R110 cars are an important bridge between the subway cars of the 1970s and 1980s to the subway cars of today.
Where have I seen an R110B?
The R110Bs entered service June 15, 1993, on the A train (IND Eighth Avenue Express). In 1996, the cars were moved to serve the C train. In 2001, the R110B cars were permanently removed from service due to a lack of spare parts, and reliability issues. In spite of this relatively short lifespan, the R110B’s fulfilled their originally intended purpose, which was to test new technologies that would inform the development of the next generation of subway cars.
R110B testing, c. 1990s
New York Transit Museum NYCTA Photographic Unit Collection
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Why were the R110s special?
Ride into the future, 1994
New York Transit Museum Collection
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Both the R110A and R110B trains were sent into revenue service after rigorous safety testing in order to get real feedback from the riding public.
As expected, New Yorkers had a lot of opinions about the prototype cars.
In the 1970s the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) ordered several large fleets of subway cars such as the R44 and R46 without testing the new design and technological elements. Once these new cars entered service, several expensive retrofits were required to make the cars as operationally reliable as they could be.
The next fleet was set to be the most technologically advanced to date thereby earning them the name the New Technology Trains, or NTTs. To avoid costly post-delivery overhauls, it was decided that test cars would be built and run in the system to prove new mechanical systems, materials, suppliers, and design elements before incorporating them into a large car order.
“Tomorrow’s Train Today”
Come see “Tomorrow’s Train”, 1992
New York Transit Museum Collection
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Shortly after being delivered in late 1992, the R110A and B visited the New York Transit Museum for one day, so visitors could experience them for themselves.
“In terms of technology, the test trains were to the trains built in the 1980’s what a calculator is to an abacus.” – Richard Perez-Pena, The New York Times, August 25, 1996
Because the R110s were prototypes, the cars were intentionally not identical with different configurations using different elements to see which worked the best, such as seat color, handholds, floor materials, electronic signs, and windscreen design. The polycarbonate Lexan – a trademark first introduced in the 1960s – was used in several ways, including at each end of the car to allow passengers to see into the next one. Polycarbonates can withstand extreme temperatures and are resistant to breaking, which made them a good choice for New York.
Interior finish drawing, 1991
A bird’s eye view of the R110B car, showing the seating arrangements and placement of doors.
The R110 cars featured microprocessor-controlled doors which were impossible to force open once closed but would spring open if blocked. They were over a foot wider than previous car designs and located at staggered intervals instead of directly across from each other for ease of passenger boarding.
Motor truck drawing, 1991
The R110 prototypes included some innovations based in the design and function of the trucks – or wheel assemblies – of the train cars. One was airbag suspension (compressors are used to inflate air bladders which are used instead of springs. A computer continuously monitors the train, adjusting the inflation of the bags and keeping the train level.)
Others included regenerative braking, made possible by “Gate Turn-Off” thyristors, which converted DC power from the third rail to AC to power the traction motors. The same technology allowed the motors to return power to the third rail during the braking sequence.
R110A red seating, 1993
New York Transit Museum Collection
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The R110A prototypes had seats in three colors and several different configurations. Because the R110s were prototypes, no two cars were exactly alike cosmetically to offer real world tests of different materials.
R110B seating, 1993
Photograph by Felix Candelaria
New York Transit Museum NYCTA Photographic Unit Collection
2013.12.2.1.2.49
Seating was the focus of most of the riding public’s attention, and feedback from the R110’s testing was carefully considered for car design going forward. Wider doors meant less seating — a loss of about 20 seats per car, but an increase in room for standees — which was met with resounding disapproval from riders. The green seats and patterned floor were two of the finishes present in some R110B cars.
R110B strip map, 1993
Photograph by Michael Coughlan
New York Transit Museum NYCTA Photographic Unit Collection
2013.12.2.1.2.49
Other features of the cars were better received, including the recorded announcements and the illuminated strip maps.
R110B testing, c. 1990s
New York Transit Museum NYCTA Photographic Unit Collection
2013.12.2.1.2.49
Kawasaki built 10 R110A cars and Bombardier Transportation built 9 R110B cars as prototypes intended to be put through the rigors of the New York City subway system. Test runs were conducted where passengers could speak directly to agency and vendor personnel on board with comments and concerns about the design.
What happened to the R110s?
After their service life, many of the R110 cars were repurposed; several became training vehicles for City emergency services, and some R110As were converted to pump cars.
R110B specifications
In service: 1993–2001
Manufacturer: Bombardier Transportation
Constructed: 1992
Entered service: June 15, 1993
Removed from service: 2001
Number of cars built: 9
Formation: Three-car sets
Fleet numbers: 3001–3009
Capacity: 54 seated, 183 standing (A cars); 50 seated, 175 standing (B cars)
Car body: Stainless steel
Car length: 67 feet
Car width: 10 feet
Car height: 12.08 feet
Door configuration: 8 sets of 50 inch side doors per car
Maximum speed: 55 mph
Weight: 71,000 lbs (trailer car); 86,000 lbs (motor car)
Traction system: GTO-VVVF (General Electric)
Traction motors: GE GEB 7-B 202 hp (151 kW) 3-phase AC 4-pole asynchronous motors
Electrical system: 600v DC Third rail
Current collector: Contact shoe
Interiors designed by Jean L’Abbe of Montreal with Melissa Feldman of the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Arts for Transit program.
R110B in a yard, 1994, Photograph by Felix Candelaria; New York Transit Museum NYCTA Photographic Unit Collection, 2013.12.2.1.2.49