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JFK Express Equipment

Posted by irtredbirdr33 on Mon Nov 21 14:51:40 2022




Tuscarora Dispatch No. 28 – Equipment Used on the JFK Express


The JFK Express was based out of Jamaica Yard. It began operating on September 23, 1978 using a dedicated fleet of R-46's (1201-1242). The crackling of the HPT-2 truck frames came to the fore in 1980-81 reducing the availability of the R-46's. Substitute equipment was used an observed as follows;
6/4/80 - R-44
6/12/80 - R-38
6/26/80 - R-44
7/80 - R-42
7/17/80 - R-38
12/11/80 - R-32
12/12/80 mixed R-32 / R-38
1/81 - R-38
2/13/81 - R-10 and R-40 (two four car trains)
4/15/81 R-40 and R-44

By March of 1982 the HPT-2 trucks were replaced and the R-46 were back. This lasted until December 11, 1998 when the JFK Express fleet was assigned to Pitkin Yard. 36 R-44's were then assigned and remained until April 14, 1990 when the service was discontinued.

Most of this information comes from a serialized set of article titled :A History of the A Train" published in the NYD Bulletin and written by Mr. George Chiasson.

The March 1981 Bulletin also contains information about the use of the R-10's.

Larry, RedbirdR33


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(1611381)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by 3-9 on Wed Nov 23 11:26:46 2022, in response to JFK Express Equipment, posted by irtredbirdr33 on Mon Nov 21 14:51:40 2022.

What happened to those R-46 cars? IIRC, they were all even-numbered cab cars, which would make it difficult to place them in a fixed set of 4 cars.

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(1611383)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Avid Reader on Wed Nov 23 11:59:55 2022, in response to JFK Express Equipment, posted by irtredbirdr33 on Mon Nov 21 14:51:40 2022.

By March of 1982 the HPT-2 trucks were replaced and the R-46 were back.

When the HPT-2 trucks were replaced, were the motors changed out from the defective trucks to the new improved trucks, and were these new trucks the same as those used on the R/44 cars?

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Train Dude on Wed Nov 23 12:32:28 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by 3-9 on Wed Nov 23 11:26:46 2022.

They remained as even numbered cars when the fleet was renumbered in 1992. They were marries into pairs and run as a 4 car unit on regular service.

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(1611387)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Wed Nov 23 14:44:03 2022, in response to JFK Express Equipment, posted by irtredbirdr33 on Mon Nov 21 14:51:40 2022.

Can't imagine anyone paying extra yo ride an R10 JFK Express.

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(1611396)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by irtredbirdr33 on Wed Nov 23 17:39:56 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Wed Nov 23 14:44:03 2022.



Can't imagine anyone paying extra fare ride an R10 JFK Express.

Chris: It was 1981. Whatever could move was pressed into service, no light, no heat or a/c no problem.

As an aside I might mention that those folks who did afford it and lived in Howard Beach used the JFK Express as the regular way to go to work. It was clean and safe. Something that could be not be said for the rest of the subway system.

Larry, RedbirdR33


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(1611404)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by ntrainride on Wed Nov 23 20:23:14 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Wed Nov 23 14:44:03 2022.

rode it once, airport to jay street.

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(1611406)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by AlM on Wed Nov 23 22:39:36 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Wed Nov 23 14:44:03 2022.

???

I guess if the A was running express it wouldn't save much time. But if the A was running local, the time savings would be major.


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(1611407)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Wed Nov 23 23:37:32 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by irtredbirdr33 on Wed Nov 23 17:39:56 2022.

Yep. If it charged up, it went on the road.

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(1611410)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Steve B-8AVEXP on Thu Nov 24 00:46:31 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by irtredbirdr33 on Wed Nov 23 17:39:56 2022.

The show must go on!

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(1611418)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by 3-9 on Thu Nov 24 02:28:21 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by Train Dude on Wed Nov 23 12:32:28 2022.

Thanks. So that means there were 4-car sets with 3 or 4 cab cars in them?

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Bill from Maspeth on Thu Nov 24 02:32:39 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Wed Nov 23 14:44:03 2022.

I don't think the collected fares when graffiti scarred substitute equipment was used.

It was not unusual to steal a B train at 57/6 for a JFK trip because no JFK trips were to be cancelled if there was no JFK set available to make the trip.

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by randyo on Thu Nov 24 08:10:53 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by 3-9 on Thu Nov 24 02:28:21 2022.

When the R-46s were on the JFK there were only 3 car consists assigned from the small group of R-46s that were A cars only. When they were replaced by R-44s the consists were regular A-B-B-A 4 car sets.

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(1611430)

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by irtredbirdr33 on Thu Nov 24 10:51:44 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Wed Nov 23 23:37:32 2022.



Yep. If it charged up, it went on the road.

Jim: It wasn't much better back on Conrail in those days.

There were three things that you wanted on a train ride, heat, movement or lights. If you had two of the three you didn't complain.

Larry, RedbirdR33



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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Steve B-8AVEXP on Thu Nov 24 13:44:44 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by randyo on Thu Nov 24 08:10:53 2022.

I remember those three-car sets. The one time I took a JFK Express in 1984, it was a three-car set.

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Thu Nov 24 15:03:56 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by irtredbirdr33 on Thu Nov 24 10:51:44 2022.

When the customers would complain, the public affairs dept would tell the complainant to look at the fine print at the bottom of the public timetable. Simply put, your ticket guarantees you transportation,.. period! Not a seat, heat, A/C, lights, working toilets etc. The only way that you'd get a refund is if you were thrown off the train and walked on the roadbed. But that was Conrail.

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Re: JFK Express Equipment

Posted by Wallyhorse on Sat Nov 26 18:32:57 2022, in response to Re: JFK Express Equipment, posted by Steve B-8AVEXP on Thu Nov 24 13:44:44 2022.

That's how I remember it when I took the JFK Express, usually to Aqueduct during the 1980's.

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