R68A (New York City Subway car)

R68A
An R68A train on the N at 36th Avenue
Interior of an R68A car
In service1988–present
ManufacturerKawasaki Heavy Industries
AssemblyYonkers, New York (final assembly)
Built atKobe, Japan
Family nameSMEE
ReplacedAll remaining R10s, R27s, and R30s
Constructed1988–1989
Entered serviceMay 18, 1988
Number built200
Number in service200 (168 in revenue service during rush hours)
Formation4 cars per trainset
Fleet numbers5001–5200
Capacity70 (seated)
OperatorsNew York City Subway
DepotsConey Island Yard[1][2]
Service(s) assigned"B" train "N" train "Q" train "W" train[3][4]
As of June 30, 2024
Specifications
Car body constructionstainless steel with fiberglass end bonnets
Train length4 car train: 300 feet (91.44 m)
8 car train: 600 feet (182.88 m)
Car length74 ft 8.5 in (22.77 m) (over anticlimbers)
Width10 ft (3,048 mm) (over threshold)
Height12.08 ft (3,682 mm)
Platform height3.76 ft (1.15 m)
Doors8 sets of 50-inch (1,270 mm) wide side doors per car
Maximum speed55 mph (89 km/h)
Weight92,720 lb (42,057 kg)
Traction systemE-Cam control (Adtranz)
Traction motors115 hp (85.8 kW) 1447J DC motor (Westinghouse)
Acceleration2.5 mph/s (4.0 km/(h⋅s))
Electric system(s)Third rail600 V DC
Current collector(s)Contact shoe
Braking system(s)WABCO (dynamic and friction), WABCO tread brake rigging model TBU GR90
Safety system(s)dead man's switch, tripcock
Coupling systemWestinghouse H2C
Headlight typehalogen light bulbs
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The R68A is a B Division New York City Subway car order consisting of 200 cars built between 1988 and 1989 by Kawasaki Railcar Company in Kobe, Japan, with final assembly done at the Kawasaki plant in Yonkers, New York.[5] A total of 200 cars were built, arranged in four-car sets.

The R68A was the fourth and final R-type contract to be built with 75-foot (22.86 m) cars (the previous three being the R44, R46, and R68). The contract had been given to Kawasaki because the manufacturers of the base R68 order, the joint venture Westinghouse-Amrail Company, had experienced significant integration issues that led to performance problems with the R68s. The first R68A train entered service on May 18, 1988. The R68As are scheduled to remain in service until at least 2025–2030.

  1. ^ "Car Assignments: Cars Required June 30, 2024" (PDF). The Bulletin. 67 (7). Electric Railroaders' Association. July 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  2. ^
    • 'Subdivision 'A' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
    • 'Subdivision 'B' Car Assignment Effective December 19, 2021'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. December 17, 2021.
  3. ^ "Car Assignments: Cars Required June 30, 2024" (PDF). The Bulletin. 67 (7). Electric Railroaders' Association. July 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  4. ^ 'Subdivision B Car Assignment Effective June 30, 2024'. New York City Transit, Operations Planning. June 30, 2024.
  5. ^ Levine, Richard (March 13, 1987). "M.T.A. PICKS NEW SUBWAY CARS FROM JAPAN OVER A CONSORTIUM". New York Times. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2016.