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R33
An R33 train on the5 atWest Farms Square–East Tremont Avenue
Interior of an overhauled R33 car
In service	1962–2003
Manufacturer	St. Louis Car Company
Built at	St. Louis, Missouri
Family name	Redbirds
Replaced	ManySteinway Lo-Vs andStandard Lo-Vs AllFlivver Lo-Vs
Constructed	1962–1963
Entered service	November 15, 1962
Refurbished	1986–1991
Scrapped	2001–2003 (revenue service cars) 2013 (cars used as refuse motors)
Number built	500 cars (250 pairs)
Number in service	(42 in work service)
Number preserved	11
Number scrapped	447
Successor	R142 andR142A
Formation	Married Pairs
Fleet numbers	8806–9305
Operators	New York City Subway
Specifications
Car body construction	LAHT carbon steel
Car length	51.04 feet (15.56 m)
Width	8.75 feet (2,667 mm)
Height	11.86 feet (3,615 mm)
Doors	6 sets of 50 inch wide side doors per car
Maximum speed	55 mph (89 km/h)
Weight	72,900 lb (33,100 kg) (post-rebuild)
Traction system	GE 17KG192AE2/3 (9076–9305 formerly Westinghouse)
Power output	Westinghouse 1447JR/GE 1257E1, 100 hp (74.6 kW) per axle
Electric system(s)	600VDCThird rail
Current collection	Contact shoe
Bogies	none
Braking system(s)	WABCO, "SMEE"electrodynamic
Safety system(s)	Emergency brakes
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge

TheR33 was aNew York City Subway car model that was built bySt. Louis Car Company in 1962 and 1963. The cars are a "follow-up" or supplemental stock for theA Division'sR29s and closely resemble them. The cars were also referred to asR33MLs (R33MainLine) to distinguish them from theR33Ss. A total of 500 cars were built, numbered 8806–9305, and arranged in pairs.

The R33s entered service on November 15, 1962, and were the firstA Division fleet to be retrofitted withair conditioning, being retrofitted between 1972 and 1982. The R33 fleet was overhauled between 1986 and 1991.^[1] The R33s were replaced in the early 2000s with the delivery of theR142 andR142A cars, with the last train running on April 20, 2003. After being retired, most R33s were sunk into the ocean asartificial reefs, but several cars have survived.

The R33s were numbered 8806–9305. The cars were referred to asR33MLs (R33MainLine) to distinguish them from theR33Ss.

The R33s are very similar in appearance to the previousR26s,R28s, andR29s, but like theR29s and unlike theR26s andR28s, the R33s were built by theSt. Louis Car Company instead ofAmerican Car and Foundry, and permanently paired with link bars (instead of couplers).

The R33s wore several paint schemes during their service lives. They were the second subway cars to feature a bright red paint scheme after theR29s. In 1971–1973, the R33s were repainted into the MTA corporate silver and blue scheme.^[2][3] In 1982–1983, they were repainted full white (roof, bonnets, and sides were all painted white) in an attempt to combatgraffiti.^[1] In 1985,GE cars 8842–8843, 8846–8847, 8848–8849, 8856–8857, 8860–8861, and 8862–8863 were repainted dark green with black front bonnets and anti-climbers, and a silver roof. Finally, between 1986 and 1988, the R33s were repainted into theRedbird paint scheme, with a deep maroon red body, black front bonnets and anti-climbers, and a silver roof.

The first set of R33 cars was placed in service on the1 train on November 15, 1962. Five hundred cars were built and served on allIRT subway lines.^[1][4] In 1972, they became the firstA Division cars to be retrofitted withair conditioning when cars 9086/7, 9118/9, 9162/3, 9226/7, 9282/3, & 9294/5 were retrofitted at the239th Street Yard with a modified version of theStone Safety Air conditioning unit designed to fit on the smallerIRT cars. By 1982, all R33 cars had receivedair conditioning. The cars were also rebuilt between 1986 and 1991.

Before they were rebuilt, the R33 cars were grouped as follows:

• Cars #8806–9075 hadGeneral Electric electrical equipment
• Cars #9076–9305 hadWestinghouse electrical equipment

From 1986 until early 1991, the R33 cars were overhauled and rebuilt by theMTA's207th Street andConey Island Overhaul Shops. All cars were refitted withGeneral Electric equipment. ExistingGeneral Electric cars receivedNew York Air Brake Newtran brake packages; the former Westinghouse cars received an updated brake package from theWestinghouse Air Brake Company.

After rebuilding, R33 cars served the2,4, and5 trains, and occasionally the7 train.

In April 1997, the MTA awarded contracts toBombardier andKawasaki for the delivery and purchase of new subway cars (theR142 andR142A) in order to retire the R33s, as well as the other A DivisionRedbird trains.^[5][6] In June 2001,Delaware agreed to acquire 400 cars being retired amongst theA Division Redbird fleet, including the R33s, to createartificial reefs 16 miles off the coast of the state.^[7] The fleet began being withdrawn from service in July,^[8] with the first cars being reefed in August.^[9] The last ten cars on the active roster (numbered 8842–8843, 9090–9091, 9240–9241, 9294–9295, and 9302–9303) made their last trip on the4 on April 20, 2003.^[10]

Most of the retired cars were stripped and dumped into the Atlantic Ocean to form artificial reefs. 21 pairs were painted yellow and black and converted to work service as R161 rider cars RD400–RD441 from 1999 to 2007,^[11][12] allowing the retirement of the older R71 rider cars. RD407 (ex-8869) was damaged in a derailment and was scrapped in 2013. RD440–RD441 were further converted into de-icer cars.

The R33 cars not converted into rider cars were saved for various purposes throughout the New York City Subway system. The full list includes:

• 8885 – converted into a rail adhesion car for theIRT Dyre Avenue Line after a derailment south of theFranklin Avenue station that led to the retirement of its mate, 8884.^[13] The car is hauled by other cars during the fall season.
• 8912–8913 – used as a static display at the Tiffany Street Iron Shops, a training facility for elevated structure workers inHunts Point, Bronx. This pair was previously involved in a derailment at the239th Street Yard.
• 9010–9011, 9016–9017, 9068–9069, and 9206–9207 – preserved for theNew York Transit Museum. They were repainted into various vintage paint schemes and have been used for various purposes since retirement, mainly on theTrain of Many Colors.

Car 9075 was previously displayed outsideQueens Borough Hall inKew Gardens, Queens. The car was retrofitted with swinging doors and converted to a tourist center, but was closed in 2015 due to low patronage.^[14] Afterwards, the car was used as a landmark and for movie shoots^[15] until it was put up for auction in June 2022.^[16][17] The car was finally trucked out of New York City on October 16, 2022.^[18]

Other cars were retained for work service until 2013, when they were scrapped. The full list includes:

• Pairs 8812–8813, 8834–8835, 8996–8997, and 9000–9001 – used to haul refuse trains until being scrapped in 2013. It was based from the38th Street Yard, and was replaced withR32s restricted to work service.
• Pair 8888–8889 – used to haul refuse trains until being scrapped in 2013. It was based from theWestchester Yard, but in 2011 was mothballed whenWestchester Yard stopped using subway cars for work service.
• Pair 9156–9157 – used for police training at Floyd Bennett Field until late 2013, when the pair was replaced by R32 GE-rebuilt pair 3594–3595. The cars were moved to Linden Yard, and then up to the207th Street Yard in 2014 for disposal.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toR33 (New York City Subway car).

• Train-related introductions in 1962
• New York City Subway rolling stock
• St. Louis multiple units
• 1962 in rail transport

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