History Of The R10 Subway Cars - The First SMEEs For A Unified System

The R10s were the New York City Subway's first SMEEs and set a standard for many later car types. They were built in 1948, some were overhauled in 1985, and the last train ran in 1989. They spent most of their time on the IND, at first on the A, and later on the CC and GG. This mini-documentary is their story.
Join the Subway Squad:
/ discord
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:16 Background
01:20 Description
04:37 1948-1960 Early Years
05:40 1961-1970 Changes
07:58 1971-1980 Deterioration
09:51 1981-1993 Overhaul & Retirement
11:33 Preservation

[@Sonic57053]

Update as of 9/3/2022: R10 car 3189 has been FULLY restored into the 1965-1966 Bluebird paint scheme for the September 17th-18th Parade of Trains Event

[@TRRailfan]

I'll certainly be there to see it!

[@SuperheroJunior]

@@TRRailfan The R10 trains are very similar to the R9s.

[@eduardososa843]

It would have been nice if the MTA preserved a good hand full of R10s to be use for special occasions like the Holiday Train.

[@JoseNunez-hh1yr]

When I started, they gave us the "R-10 and Up Manual". Most educational thing was the chapter "Tracing of the Air", where we followed the process in which the dual-pipe brake system filled (and backfilled) itself. The book itself was a final reprint from 1953. If there's a video on the R-16(of which my friend has Car#6398 on display in the Kingston Trolley Museum), that's a weird car, with levers and all.

[@8avexp]

I rode on them many, many times on the A. They were tailor-made for the CPW express dash, thundering and blazing past those seven local stops. If you stood on the n/b platform at 81st St., you got an earful as they ripped past. By that point they were at full gallop.

[@DARTHBLUNT713]

Exactly 💯 I remembered riding it when It was going express on CPW express with the A Train

[@georgemurphy2579]

I remember their smaller sisters - the R12s - on the "7" ripping through Long Island City - even louder. Very fast cars I remember well!

[@8avexp]

@@georgemurphy2579 I remember them, too, but only rode them on the mainlines. And by then, they were no longer running in solid consists.

[@jendel42750]

1575 is still around and intact to this day as well. It has long been in the New York Transit Museum's collection, and occasionally goes out in service on fan trips.

[@JoseNunez-hh1yr]

1983. I'm a new C/R, drumming up an R-10 for C service in Pitkin Yard. The fans(two on the pole), the burning grids, the screeching iron brakes(I got to operate light 10s, they can almost stop on a dime!). The pneumatic doors were fun, the riding between cars was not. A local trip from Rockaway Park to Bedford Park was close to two hours, in the snow and cold, but a summer run was good.

[@trainluvr]

In 1978-79 I was riding the GG regularly with R-10 equipment. The car shortage was so severe (due to R-44 and 46 problems) that a train which could only run in 'series' (meaning speed limited to about 15 MPH) was allowed to remain in service on an occasion I observed. The Thunderbirds nickname was not known among younger railfans. The R-38s were the fast cars back then. Also PA systems were retrofitted on cars older than R-26 (delivered without PAs) in the early 80s as a result of the Clark tube smokey incident in which the crew was unable to communicate with riders experiencing confusion and discomfort.

[@JoseNunez-hh1yr]

The R-38!!!!!! My all time fave, especially working the C line. Fastest thing we ever had!

[@ChickenNoodle]

funny how some older cars can live longer than some of the newer ones

[@ChickenNoodle]

@FinnBugFinn they aren’t lemons anymore, that joke is old now

[@thedriver4038]

Another great video. The IRT R12 and R14 fleets were scaled down versions of the R10. However, the IRT cars had electrically operated doors. They were also delivered in 1948 for the IRT Queens lines, and were the last IRT cars to serve the Astoria line.

[@ashleyjiscool]

I mean a photo slide is impossible

[@JohnM1774]

Very well produced video. I was always interested in the R-10s. Still my favorite is the R 1-9s. Each car has itit"s own personality. Keep up the great work !!!!!

[@speeta]

I recall reading that since car 1575 retained the workings of an R7 beneath the prototype R10 carbody it could and did run in mixed consists with older equipment. I also recall R10s in their last years of service on the C Line painted dark green (greenbirds?) at the end of the 1980s.

[@1575murray]

1575 still exists as a museum car. It occasionally operates on excursion runs with other vintage R1-9 cars. It had a reputation for being unreliable during its time in service but it seems that the TA shops have fixed its issues.

[@ECO473]

I used to ride the R10s on the C and G lines on my way to school way back in the late 1970s.

[@TRRailfan]

What was your opinion of them?

[@ECO473]

@@TRRailfan I loved them, and I miss them now.

[@MrExec3549]

Most importantly, you didn’t mention the new interior fluorescent lighting. The first class to incorporate these lights.

[@xpresssignage]

Awesome video bro

[@JamesQuent]

Nice editing and good video

[@Boypogikami132]

Bro what if the R10 Overhaul went on and a separate universe where the R10s could still be operating today with pre-GOH R42 bonnets….

[@keithbrown4683]

I enjoyed the R10 cars at least as much as the R1~9 cars.

[@captainkeyboard1007]

You presented a great and excellent report that I never knew about the R10 railcars. They were good cars, except for the door controls (triggers), at the end of each car. I intend to review this show again.

[@jimmyjc2969]

Trying to hear/see the R-10’s doors closing again. They shut so fiercely back then. Jolting if it struck you. No one wanted to hold those doors open…lol

[@danielwrynn4707]

An excellent video of the R10s.

[@danielwrynn4707]

Thanks for the compliment.

[@brianmohammed1790]

cool video on the r10 and cool subway cars

[@ashleyjiscool]

That pitkin r10 was somehow kept better then their r46s form the photos

[@broyofroyo1207]

Good video

[@randolphtwells1360]

8:09; The Concourse Yard is a site in the Bronx before Norwood which is the last stop on the "D" train, and the Jerome Avenue Yard is a site that is used for Woodlawn on the "4" line.

[@randolphtwells1360]

4:55; the "AA" train is the representation of the "K' train before in the 1980s.

[@mohamad-ms2pb]

One thing I remembered about the R10s was it's noise level. Especially during the express between 59 st and 125 at on the A line.

[@TRRailfan]

Was it louder than both the Arnines and the R16s?

[@mohamad-ms2pb]

@@TRRailfan Yes. Only the R38s are just as loud.

[@ECO473]

Yes, those R10s could fly.

[@theestallion818]

The c line was the last to run those models up to 1988 I believe or 1987!

[@TheOneAndOnlyWeeber69]

New video lets goo

[@randolphtwells1360]

5:19; in 1956, the Rockaway Line was used as the inauguration for the "A" train to go to Far Rockaway or to Rockaway Park-Beach 116th. Street.

[@jordimendoza9930]

The r68s and r68as are my favorite train

[@amazing50000]

8:25 Car 3947 look better with the R16 end door.

[@singhsukhbirsajjan6819]

Nice

[@randolphtwells1360]

0:47; IND is the three letters that indicate the "independent" subway system.

[@randolphtwells1360]

11:47; The last two R10 cars show that one is a training car, but the other is preserved as an exhibit at the New York Transit Museum to be known as the "Train of Many Metals" or "Train of Many Colors."

[@ericschwartz2062]

Went to the New York Transit Museum in late December of last year and saw R10 car #3189 in its 1965-1966 Bluebird paint scheme on display there. According to my specifications, that is the only R-10 car preserved, is that correct? All others were scrapped.

[@randolphtwells1360]

6:29; The initials "TA" stand for "Transit Authority." This part happened from 1966 to 1967, before it was changed to "MTA" which means "Metropolitan Transit Authority."

[@captainkeyboard1007]

In fact, New York City Transit Authority had a slogan which says, "Beat the traffic all the way. Go the TA way."

[@user-dj7wv5ok2x]

The MTA actually took over in 1968, not 1967....

[@randolphtwells1360]

2:27 to 3:10; The pictures and details of the R10 show the differences in the design and look of each car.

[@mtafaniscools]

epic

[@mikepignatelli273]

It was Board Of Transportation not Dept.of Transportation,R 1-9s were fleet

[@eugenepowell4169]

No R11s we're the last to have Rattan Seats

[@randolphtwells1360]

6:22; in 1965 and 1966, the R10 cars are painted blue and white similar to the R28s, R29s, and R33s World Fair cars and the Redbirds.

[@captainkeyboard1007]

How about the R27 and R30 cars, particularly the R30-type cars that were repainted red?

[@bennythepenny5831]

What about the rumored 76th Street Station on the IND Pitkin Avenue Tunnel? There is a photo of an R-10 arriving at the station.

[@jassy_235]

April Fools edited photo. Original: www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?2581

[@TRRailfan]

Yep, what Jassy said. That photo is fake. 76th Street never opened for service. We don't know to what stage it was built, but it never opened. Likely the tracks were in place though.

[@DARTHBLUNT713]

The tracks to around up to 76st the walls are probably flooded where the 4 main lines are at by the 🧱 pass it, if it there and who knows

[@8avexp]

That's actually an R-10 B train at 7th Ave. The giveaway is the platinum mist-and-blue paint scheme.

[@GinAndJuiceRailfan]

is it me or did u change the thumbnail?

[@ashleyjiscool]

Shame the r10 didn’t get that r42 front end

[@russellwong1385]

The r10 needs blue seats like the ntts

[@russellwong1385]

Who wants the r10 back?

[@DARTHBLUNT713]

I do because that is the IND best train ever when I was a child back the especially that thunder sound when it is hauling ass from 59th to 125st was the best, at that time express trains service was faster than today express service

[@ashleyjiscool]

Good they er not all scraped

[@deniz2014]

Do the r16

[@robertedwardn]

I don’t know why you keep calling them black fiberglass seats when they were obviously gray. I know because I rode them many many times in the 80s.

[@TRRailfan]

A lot of the photos I used were somewhat faded, so it's hard to know for sure. What was your opinion of the cars?

[@WebSoak]

Did the R10s have the homie corner?

[@WebSoak]

WAIT WHAT THEY MADE IT TO THROUGH THE GOH WHATT

[@TRRailfan]

Nope, no homie corner, not any more than the R46s did

[@TRRailfan]

Yeah the R10s were the oldest cars to make it through the GOH. Actually I don't think the R16s did

[@sammy6289.]

What is a homie corner

[@TRRailfan]

media.discordapp.net/attachments/998352403134939278/1008924518892445847/unknown.png

[@user-dj7wv5ok2x]

Btw, just whatin the hell does "SMEE" mean?!

[@theestallion818]

1970's

[@BMTEnjoyer160]

Expired intro

[@kennethrembert7925]

The R10s Sucks!

[@kevinb8881]

I wasn't that crazy about them either, they ran like trash on the C back in the day!!

[@TRRailfan]

They were the oldest cars at the time, and hadn't been maintained like they should've been