⁴ᴷ⁶⁰ R160 Testing on the Franklin Shuttle

Here we see a train of R160s testing on the Franklin Shuttle! It seems like the automated announcements, station stop marker spacing, and signals were all being checked. Quite interesting and extremely rare to see a set of R160s on the Franklin Shuttle!
Check out the following videos to see R211s and R179s testing on the Franklin Shuttle:
• ⁴ᴷ⁶⁰ New R211 Subway C...
• ⁴ᴷ New R179 Test Train...
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Some clips taken by Alex Campbell, Miles2926, and ConGeon, all used with full unrestricted permission and complete knowledge of the nature of their use. Subscribe to their channels:
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Taken in February 2023.

[@fiercingdragon]

Oh dang. Never did I expect the R160s to "test run" on the Franklin Avenue Shuttle.

[@Aceve14]

All we need now is a 6-car R188 test train on the (S) 42nd Street Shuttle Train and we're in full circle and be set for life.

[@samuelitooooo]

I honestly don't expect this to happen because 6-car R62A replacements are already on the roadmap, and it wouldn't be that easy taking trainsets from the 7, through the B division, to finally bring them to 42 St. At least with the Franklin Ave shuttle there's plenty interlining between BMT and IND lines so trains can go anywhere.

[@Thatgamingdiary]

The question of a million dollars. How do we get the R188 from Flushing to the shuttle. And is there even a track connection from Flushing to the rest of the IRT? (7th Ave & Lexington)

[@konnichiwasenpai312]

​@@Thatgamingdiary/ there's no 7 trains that can connect to the rest of the IRT lines (unless if MTA will maybe add the tracks to the rest of the IRT lines which I know they'll never do)

[@Thatgamingdiary]

@@konnichiwasenpai312 ok

[@jacquees7219]

@@Thatgamingdiaryit’s possibly but the process is LONG, first it would have to switch to the N at Queensboro plaza and then go down to Dekalb Av & follow the D to 59 St-Columbus circle then go via the A to 207 St yard and then after going thru the yard it would be in the 1 line and would have to go down to times square and then switch to the uptown local track and then head up to 50th St then reverse onto the curve leading to the shuttle

[@eduardososa843]

I wish the Franklin Ave Shuttle was still a two track line.

[@aszaviyovarga1711]

Cool catch, I didn't see it the R160 on the Franklin Av Shuttle

[@zhx2365]

an absolute rare catch !!!

[@lewisasaprichards5649]

Not really

[@zhx2365]

@@lewisasaprichards5649 well it is to me as i’ve never seen any other subway cars on this shuttle .

[@corey8807]

It’s fake

[@lewisasaprichards5649]

@@zhx2365 you must not live in NYC

[@zhx2365]

@@lewisasaprichards5649 don’t even do that cuz i absolutely do , i just never seen NTT’s on the FAS before .

[@NtGoat_AKA_Goatie]

This is rare AF!! Great catch of the day

[@scottyerkes1867]

Interesting operation. Thanks DJ Hammers😀💚

[@BMTEnjoyer160]

Are they testing for service on the Franklin Avenue Shuttle Or Something Else

[@karatekidfahim3]

1) 1:07 why did the train arc a little on the third rail 2) can a r110b work as well?

[@dkeithtag]

1) probably a gap in the rail;2)R110Bs are extinct but happen to be the same car length as the standards that ran on the shuttle before you were born years ago in the 60s.

[@TSSmina]

That’s the regenerative brake feature onboard the train, in which sends the power back into the Third Rail as a method to save energy. When the train decelerates and the regenerative brake feature is in action, it sometimes may cause an arc between the contact shoe and third rail, which is completely normal.

[@tanishaglasgow8098]

Cool

[@brett8706]

Even though this will never happen, could MTA convert a 4 car set into a 3 car set, with the extra car going to another 4 car-consist to make it 5 cars? Then, the 160A-1 would essentially become 160A-2 or 160A-3.

[@abentmetrocard]

Possibly going to modify an r160 to a 3 car set in the future?🤔 After all they used to run 3 car 60’ sets before the r68, so definitely possible!

[@graffmixer]

Probably keep as a two car train. I can't see it being a 3 car train even though the cars are shorter than the r68

[@karatekidfahim3]

@@graffmixer the r110b has 3 cars idk hows that gonna work (with an extra 30ft of car capacity.)

[@motorman1993]

No it was a 4car. R32 on the shuttle with the .2 and 3car opening I worked the shuttle with R32 they would have to order a3 car set for that shuttle

[@ConfuzedMind]

Not that difficult. A little modification in the electrical and air supplies....pull the link bar pins....cars can easily be removed

[@ShadeJay]

Once the R68s retire, it's either heavy renovations to fit 4/5 car sets on the entire line or there needs to be a special order dedicated to the Franklin av shuttle

[@SomeRamdomAhole]

Lol

[@R142Foamer]

And the 68s won’t retire for the next 10+ years anyway, they’re still young rn

[@davidng2336]

@@R142Foamer They will start to retire by the 2030s.

[@davidng2336]

If they do choose to lengthen, four car sets is probably best. With this set, the entire train was almost able to fit at one of the platforms. Otherwise, it shouldn't be hard to order a custom NTT.

[@darrylreedy5079]

@@davidng2336 True. I expect the N, Q, and W lines to be fully R68s since the B and D will be getting R211s, since the 8 Av line and 6 Av are getting CBTC.

[@michaelmorales1475]

Interesting.

[@jaydenphilbertmunipals9089]

And it was an R160 with the new digital displays

[@dkeithtag]

Well now that’s really cute, but it won’t actually work without some major modifications. The only station that four-car consist fits in completely is Prospect Park . Either they modify the platforms-a major undertaking-or they come up with a special dedicated consist like they have now. Three-car tech trains could work with minimal platform modifications. Good place for a modified set of R211Ts. Meanwhile, if someone grew some brains, they could save a few two-car R46s as backups and do a final GOH on the nine R68s currently available to extend their lives another 10 years or so. They could hack the current R46 enablers into shuttle switches and use as-is for minimal cost while working on platform upgrades and new tech dedicated rolling stock. I work on that line five days a week.

[@mikemanners5803]

They should save R46’s for this line

[@dkeithtag]

@@mikemanners5803 exactly.

[@villavine10]

Are they testing the possibility of a 3 car set?

[@NobodyProductions2]

r160 1:06 ❤

[@Silxvr]

Imagine if R160 was on the FS

[@kaisworld31]

Maybe they’ll put r160s on the shuttle?

[@mekomarz8258]

imagine if R46 ran on the franklin Shuttle

[@QuarioQuario54321]

What could be happening?

[@officialrinx13]

That means that the r68 on the Franklin Shuttlr is abt to retire huh

[@CupcakkeTheQueen]

No the R160 is too big to fit in the platform, so they're testing to see if it's fitting in

[@TransitZeypher]

Will they add r160s on the shuttle line

[@xavierlove775]

Unlikely. Unlike regular subway stations, the shuttle platforms can’t accommodate more than 4 cars unless they extend the platforms. Since the R160 is 60 feet, they would have to be 3 car sets (A-B-A). If they extended the platform then it could be a 4 car shuttle (A-B-B-A) They could steal an 8 car set from ENY (They can take one 8 car train used on the L and make 2 trains out of those)

[@superbrownsheep3777]

I don’t see a 4 car 160 being on the shuttle. The train is too long to fit in the platforms. If you spot closely, you’ll see. Now a 3 car would make sense

[@Random-transit-authority]

Not even a 3 car fits. Only 2 cars can

[@superbrownsheep3777]

@@Random-transit-authorityYeah no I’ll have to agree on that

[@GabysCake]

cursed r160 shuttle train

[@TheRealLsarowar]

Oh

[@missSandz25]

(S)weet

[@MunipalsFanJose]

I think the plants at the end of franklin avenue should be cut for a four car train to fit 11:26

[@TSSmina]

Well, the plants wouldn’t make a difference, cause the tripper is located right before the plants at Franklin Avenue, including the end of third rail supply and the Marker Signal.

[@railrockstar5380]

I’ve had enough with these R160’s

[@graffmixer]

Nice catch!!! Guess this will be the future train set of the shuttle!!! I could see the R143 be used instead of the R160

[@dancingwiththestars3778]

Franklin Ave (S) will Extend The Longest Platforms to Fit 4 and 5 Car Train at Botanic Garden, Park Place and Franklin Ave - Fulton St. ❤😂

[@kristainviayoutube500]

0:46 I love how confused the guy walking his dog was 😂

[@CARma193]

That dog also looked up and his/her owner like “why Is there an R160 at this station??” LOL

[@AnaCastillo-zu2ft]

Shuttle trains means garbage trains

[@kristainviayoutube500]

@@AnaCastillo-zu2ftno shuttle trains mean short distance trains

[@anonymous3738]

This line is a continuation of the Brighton line’s local tracks. If the platforms were extended, then the line would no longer need to be served by a shuttle and its trunk line color could be pink since that color is unused. Or, it could be relocated underground, become a fully double-tracked line and merge onto the Crosstown line at Bedford-Nostrand Avenues plus have a center track for short turns and continue to Court Square or even along the Queens Boulevard line.

[@villavine10]

0:47 The dog and the guy is looking around like “What the hell did I just see”

[@KingofGamingAndTrains456]

R160 Franklin Shuttle looks godly! Now all we need is an R143 to touch the shuttle!

[@karatekidfahim3]

r110b would make the shuttle more cooler but the door capacity is an issue

[@jaydenphilbertmunipals9089]

​@@karatekidfahim3 it can easily be fixed in 2023

[@officialmcdeath]

Tasty compilation, thank you! How many round trips did the R160 do on the branch? \m/

[@renzjomz]

r160 is similar to r179 and they have different sounds, they are different routes of shuttle lines

[@HayleyKiyokoLineBMT]

(S)entinel

[@trevorwilliams9904]

That would be cool to see r160s on the frankin Ave shuttle .

[@tartheaveragerailfanner9713]

R160s on the franklin avenue shuttle in the future??!!

[@type_shi_twin]

1:10 why does 8651 look like it has a malaysian flag (correct me if i’m wrong but it looks like it)

[@AaronJrBrundidge]

currently, 150 feet shuttle trains, but test train, 240, with 4 60 feet cars for 60' trains, 2 cars, or 120 feet total, will fit

[@karatekidfahim3]

@@sulaman600 r110b cars could fit in my opinion, i had a dream about that an r110b was in the franklin shuttle in the 90s or 2000s smth like that.

[@patrykplayz7]

FOAM!

[@OweennW123playz_yt87]

Sooo rare

[@Random-transit-authority]

A two car train fits perfectly

[@ianhardy9375]

It's still not going to fit, if they did 300 ft platform length from the point when the shuttle was rebuild, this would have been no problem. Now they have to wait till the r211t to be tested

[@jeremynaraine]

Franklin Avenue Shuttle Has Only 2 Car set Rather Than 4 Or 5 Cars Set.

[@yab_flow323]

This does mean r160s on shuttle?

[@T-rexAnim]

0:38

[@jalenh8918]

Amazing camera

[@BakariTheBat]

So if I was to guess R160 are going take over the shuttle line? That why there are testing also nice video

[@MTA_9929]

No they don’t fit

[@BakariTheBat]

@@MTA_9929 oof

[@DJHammersTrains]

We aren’t sure exactly what was tested but it doesn’t appear as if R160s will be running in service on the shuttle any time soon.

[@TheCloakedTiger]

Wow. Things sure are changing on the subway system! How many cars will they fit now? Still 2 or 4 now?

[@fiercingdragon]

With this particular set of R160s, they were almost able to fit at one of the Franklin Avenue Shuttle stations. If they want to be able to fit 4, then the best bet would be to most likely renovate the stations.