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| Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) (1279102) | |
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| (1279102) | |
Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Fri Mar 7 22:27:41 2014 This morning, I had a chance to take a small tour of R33ML car 9075, located right by the Queens Borough Hall at Queens Blvd and 82nd Avenue in Kew Gardens, Queens. I was last there one Friday afternoon in October 2010, but I never got the chance to take a look inside. So here we go.Here's car 9075. Built by St. Louis Company in 1963. Overhauled in the 1980s and last ran on the Lexington Avenue Express (5) line sometime in 2002. Previously, an R36WF car, 9564, was chosen to sit on this very spot and be converted into the Queens Tourism Center. But due to the condition of the car, this R33ML car was chosen instead. 9075 was repainted an spruced up in late 2004 and moved here in 2005. However the car wasn't opened to the public for another three years.       One goes into the car up a wooden platform that resembles an outdoor elevated station platform. Inside the car, one's treated to quite a number of posters and, pamphlets advertising various attractions and stuff around Queens on one side of the car (the blind end). There's also a small section with some memorabilia and lots of newspaper clippings. At that end, there's a desk with a staff member and a computer to check out attractions online. The other side of the car's left mostly intact. A glass wall separates the car. If it weren't for that small dry erase board, you can almost swear this photo was taken in a rail yard somewhere.    One thing I did notice was that the car didn't have it's rebuilder plate given to each Redbird car (and other rail cars) that went through GOH in the mid-1980s to early 1990s. Does anyone know what year specifically was car 9075 rebuilt?  Car 9075 seems to have been heavily modified both physically and electrically. Some metal tubes come out from under the car and along the tracks towards the blind end to some equipment under the wooden platform (the same kind of equipment one would find on a rooftop). This allows the interior car lights to turn on, as well as the car heaters, I believe (the car felt nice, warm, an toasty inside). There were also some wall outlets on the bottom of the seats next to the doors. I also spotted a light switch inside the car; I think this is used to possibly illuminate the exterior rollsigns and marker lights. The side doors platform-side have been heavily modified; now they open outward towards you. One set of doors opens automatically with a button for wheelchair access.  Now the rest of the photos...    My Thoughts... Overall, I quite enjoyed this visit. It gave me a bit of a sense of nostalgia sitting there and remembering the ride on the Redbirds. The Tourism Center and the concept itself's a really good way to check out what Queens has to offer. In my line of work, I'm always traveling to various places around town, so the place does its purpose in providing ideas of what to do in that borough. And in cold weather, 9075's a really ideal place to just hang out inside and stay warm and toasty while waiting for a Q60 bus. I did noticed a few things. They kind of let the car's appearance go a little bit; if they raised some money, they could use that to give the car a fresh coat of paint. Inside, the flooring was cracked in some parts, especially going along the middle. At one point, I heard a small creak as I walked towards the storm door. It is expected over time, of course. It made me think about the condition of R33ML cars 8912-13, which seem to haven't really been touched in over a decade. I also saw that with their newspaper clippings and all, the car at times can feel pretty cluttered. Finally thought, seeing this is a Tourism Center, I was surprised that the car isn't even open on weekends, where many attractions are open. They're also only open for four hours, from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday. I think it would be nice to let the place open until maybe 4pm or so. I also noticed from night shots of the car itself that they turn everything off...I think it would be nice to see at least the end rollsigns and marker lights lit up, IMO. I think that would be cool to see. That's my review. Car 9075 in her glory. Really nice place to check out. Hope you've enjoyed. MF '86 <4> |
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| (1279112) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by BEDT26 on Sat Mar 8 02:13:36 2014, in response to Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Fri Mar 7 22:27:41 2014. Hi MF '86,Good work as always, as you already know those are my favorite cars I am really glad that some like 9075 got saved and hopefully will be around for years to come. I did enjoyed and thanks for sharing! |
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| (1279113) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by SelkirkTMO on Sat Mar 8 02:34:21 2014, in response to Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by BEDT26 on Sat Mar 8 02:13:36 2014. They'd best get to scraping and painting it soon, or it won't be around much longer. Those anticlimbers tell the tale of what will happen to the car if they don't. Same as what happened to the rest. :( |
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| (1279115) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by chud1 on Sat Mar 8 04:53:10 2014, in response to Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Fri Mar 7 22:27:41 2014. 5 drooling stars out of 5 drooling stars.chud1. :).... |
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| (1279122) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by ChicagoMotorman on Sat Mar 8 09:27:52 2014, in response to Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Fri Mar 7 22:27:41 2014. Another place for me to visit next time I'm in New York. |
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| (1279213) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Sat Mar 8 23:54:41 2014, in response to Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by BEDT26 on Sat Mar 8 02:13:36 2014. Thanks, man! Same here. I just hope that if they get the chance to, they can give it a good touch-up. They did let it's appearance go a little bit. |
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| (1279214) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Sat Mar 8 23:55:08 2014, in response to Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by chud1 on Sat Mar 8 04:53:10 2014. Thanks! |
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| (1279215) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Sat Mar 8 23:55:45 2014, in response to Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by ChicagoMotorman on Sat Mar 8 09:27:52 2014. Definitely check it out. It was a really nice experience. |
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| (1279216) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Sat Mar 8 23:57:27 2014, in response to Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by SelkirkTMO on Sat Mar 8 02:34:21 2014. Agreed, it really needs some attention carbody-wise. |
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| (1279218) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by BEDT26 on Sun Mar 9 00:07:53 2014, in response to Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Sat Mar 8 23:54:41 2014. You're most welcome, and yes I sure hope so too that they don't neglect this piece of NYC history go to waste.Keep up the good work! |
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| (1279317) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by Union Tpke on Sun Mar 9 19:34:45 2014, in response to Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Fri Mar 7 22:27:41 2014. Great Job! And that's my neighborhood!i Can't believe I haven't been there in a few years. I should really go! Great job yet again! |
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| (1279322) | |
Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review) |
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Posted by Mysterious Friday 1986 on Sun Mar 9 20:42:29 2014, in response to Re: Seeing Red - A Small Tour of R33ML 9075 (A Review), posted by Union Tpke on Sun Mar 9 19:34:45 2014. Thanks, dude!Definitely go check it out. It was a nice experience to be inside a Redbird again. I just wish they took better care of the place, though. |
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