Passenger Trains > NY Transit Museum charter Saturday

The NYTM ran a charter Saterday from 96th Street/2nd Ave to Stillwell Terminal on Coney Island using three BMT Standards and four Arnines.  The BMT Standards were built in 1917 and 1918.

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Did it take the West End Line  ?
via Bridge ?

The IND fleet consisted of series R-1, R-4, R-6, R-7, and R-9, collectively called "Arnines" by NY subway fans.  Present on the Museum train were the first and last R-1 100 and 381, the last R-9 1802, and R-6 1300, photographed after arriving at Coney Island.

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The train ran on the Brighton Line to Coney Island and returned on the F and A lines.

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Probably the most extensive "hertiage" fleet in the world.  I'm guessing 30+  fully operable restored cars and engines dating back over 100 years, that can run at full  speed on the 200+ miles NYC transit system.  And its not just subway tunnels, if your not familiar. In addition to elevated lines, there are the Sea Beach, Brighton, and Canarsie lines that are a grade, and ex-NYW&B and LIRR trackage (including 2 movable swing bridges on the Rockaway line). 

Gotta get back to ride the BMT standards some day. 

 

People who like speed enjoy the Transit Museum trips because the cars were retired before speed governors were added.  This train on the express track passed a Q train that was running at speed.

Wow! I remember riding on those as a teenager to get to Ebbets Field.
Bill Pyper
Salem, Oregon
 

My, how the Coney Island station has changed since my wife & I rode a similar excursion in July of 2008!  Great photos.

pdt Wrote:
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> Probably the most extensive "hertiage" fleet in
> the world.  I'm guessing 30+  fully operable
> restored cars and engines dating back over 100
> years, that can run at full  speed on the 200+
> miles NYC transit system.  And its not just
> subway tunnels, if your not familiar. In addition
> to elevated lines, there are the Sea Beach,
> Brighton, and Canarsie lines that are a grade, and
> ex-NYW&B and LIRR trackage (including 2 movable
> swing bridges on the Rockaway line). 
>
> Gotta get back to ride the BMT standards some
> day. 
>
>  And then there’s Staten Island too, with a ferry ride to get there.  Can’t beat that.

Used to ride the SIRT from Annadale to the ferry at St. George  most Sundays in the '50s to visit my aunt and uncle, then on the Canarsie Line BMT Standards (L now) to Troutman Street Brooklyn;  then the Lexington Avenue (6) Line to 149th/3rd Avenue to their new apartment in the Bronx.
Occasionally, we took the almost-gone 3rd Avenue El back to South Ferry going home. The night views over Manhattan and the Harbor were magic, especially passing the Rupert Knickerbocker brewery sign, and seeing the Ballantine Beer sign in Jersey.
And the ferries still had wonderful-sounding steam whistles.

Loved it! 

BTW, don'st miss taking one of these NY Transit Museum  Nostalgia Rides  special trains when in NYC. They are a blast.
 www.mta.info/museum
718-694-1600



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/21/19 14:28 by Abqfoamer.

Abqfoamer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Used to ride the SIRT from Annadale to the ferry
> at St. George  most Sundays in the '50s to visit
> my aunt and uncle, then on the Canarsie Line BMT
> Standards (L now) to Troutman Street Brooklyn; 
> then the Lexington Avenue (6) Line to 149th/3rd
> Avenue to their new apartment in the Bronx.
> Occasionally, we took the almost-gone 3rd Avenue
> El back to South Ferry going home. The night views
> over Manhattan and the Harbor were magic,
> especially passing the Rupert Knickerbocker
> brewery sign, and seeing the Ballantine Beer sign
> in Jersey.
> And the ferries still had wonderful-sounding steam
> whistles.
>
> Loved it! 
>
> BTW, don'st miss taking one of these NY Transit
> Museum  Nostalgia Rides  special trains when in
> NYC. They are a blast.
>  www.mta.info/museum
> 718-694-1600

What a great story.  I’ve lived in San Francisco all my life but it’s New York where I (to paraphrase Tony Bennett) left my heart.  When our son worked there in the late 1990s we would go back and visit him in the Spring and Fall.  We would buy a seven day senior citizen Metro card and ride all over the boroughs and we even walked across four bridges, always finding a way to at least once having a late lunch or early dinner at Peter Luger’s in Williamsburg and a walk back to Manhattan on the Williamsburg Bridge.      We even stayed at the Westside YMCA, which at that time had a great breakfast.  Our last visit was in July of 2008 when, among other things, we rode the Nostalgia train like the one pictured here, and finally rode the Staten Island line all the way to the end.  How we would love to do that again!  Don’t ever get old.

 

Amazing... they look great for 100 plus years old....

Did the gear howl and air compressor sounds round out the experience?

Yes, definitely.  The rapidly spinning ceiling fans, too.

Ah, those Standards...also complete with no ditch lights, reverse thread, theft-proof light bulbs, rattan seats, no a/c, open windows with hot, roaring tunnel 'music', 55 mph speed, dim stations, penny Chiclets dispensers. 
Sigh..Wish I could be riding back then again.  



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/19 09:26 by Abqfoamer.