Congratulations on reaching this gigantic progress in your channel! Your hard work really deserves these amount of subs! What is super awesome about this video is that it’s long but super short and easy to understand in each timestamps. It’s super fantastic to the point that I recommend this video to anyone who wants to know about railfanning and the intricate history of the MTA’s fleet. This video can also be recommended for anyone who loves the Redbirds or have ridden them prior 2003 but does not know the history behind it. Again, thank you so much for making this video and defining the true characteristics and histories that these masterpieces contained. Congratulations on your progress, you already come in a long way! Your timeline fleet videos are also absolutely amazing and demonstrates the progression from the fleet’s beginnings to its present or end status. Keep up the great work! P.S. - I wouldn’t say the ones that were reefed is “gone,” as they are still holding up incredibly well underwater, instead of the ones that are fully extinct in scrapyards. They are still visible when scuba diving and inspected by each reef sites at certain times of each year. By the way, here’s a most recent video of the Redbird Reef that I found recently. m.ua-cam.com/video/gknBnKd3x-k/v-deo.html Also, anyone can book a ticket to see these underwater Redbirds, older IRT SMEEs, and Brightliners. Here is one example. www.charlestonscuba.com/charters/advanced-open-water-sites/subway-cars-comanche/
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video so much! If you know any IRT lovers, make sure to send them the video! It’s great that the time stamps worked well, thanks for the feedback! I’ve seen a few videos of the reefed Redbirds underwater, they’re pretty cool.
I'm a retired IRT subway motorman. I ran all classes of redbirds during my 31 years in the motorman's seat. I even ran the R36WF cars on the IRT mainline.
Chiming in after 3 years. The R-27/30 came in as Olive Drab - the IRT R21/22 was similar but I can't say they were identical. The R-17 came in a type of Maroon (reddish purple). The R-28,29,33 came in with Cherry Red (also used on a few R-10s). The white was the color that was done as an anti-graffitti statement. Some R-16 and R-27/30 cars got white, but no R-10s. Totally impractical and blinding on cloudless days it truly was a shock to see the first couple of times you saw it. Initially they were kept in solid trains. In order to declare the entire system graffiti free inside and out by May 1987 many cars about to be retired by the incoming R-62A and R68/68A fleets were repainted in green and Tuscan Red. During the transition to graffittie free, repainted and protected cars were run in solid trains. GO is not a word, it is an abbreviation for General Overhaul. Also the air-conditioning retrofit of the R-33/36 fleet began about 3 years before the first G.O. cars appeared (which was on the 7 and done in house to a lesser standard than the greater number sent out to contractors). The pilot IRT air conditioning retrofit train was done in 1975 and kept graffiti free long after the rest of the fleet was thoroughly vandalized (but not all the way to adoption of 1981 white). That train was used for special occasions, like when the Mayor, Pope or UMTA administrator needed to do a publicity ride.
This is one of the most informative videos on the Redbirds I've seen. I used to ride the Bluebirds to the World's Fair and Shea Stadium in '64 and '65. The bright blue and white interiors were a sharp contrast to most other trains of that time period. I always wondered how the 11th car fit in. Now I know. Keep up the great work!
While the WF cars were being rebuilt some other married pair types (R26/28) were loaned to the Flushing line to allow the TA to maintain the service. Single R17 cars were placed in the consists to allow them to run 11 car trains.
@@1575murray Main Line R33 and R36s were commonly loaned as well. Also 40 R33s were loaned from the Bronx in April-August 1964 for World's Fair service until all R36s were delivered.
I've always loved learning the history of the NYC Subway. The NYC Transit museum has a few of these. I loved the Worlds Fair on the 7. Blue and white. Instead of using the retired Red birds as artificial reefs, I would've liked to see them used as shelters for the homeless. Little bungalows on land similar to trailer parks.
I remember these growing up in Brooklyn, NY in the 80s!! These were my favorite, along with the R32's. Those to me were the best train designs with COLD A/C!! LOLOL
I was born in 55 and for as long as I remember, there were always Red Birds. I don't remember their purchase. But I do remember the late 60s and early 70s when the routes changes on the IND and BMT and those 2 divisions got new rolling stock. It seemed like all through the 70s the IRT had the worst cars. They would mix older cars with newer ones and the fleet looked uninformed and awful. It was not until the mid 80s that the refurbished red bird fleet looked really cool.
Yeah I was born 20 years later after you, and I remember the subway as a small child in Brooklyn in the late 1970's to the early 1980's and it did seem like the IRT had the worst subway cars in the system, with graffiti making it worst, as I grew up along the Livonia Line (2 train, later 3 & 4 trains). It was not until the mid 1980's when it started to change with the IRT.
Good Job! You're obviously a young guy, and this was a very well done and informative video. Too bad you're not getting school credit. I loved learning more about the Redbirds, and I hope you keep making such videos.
Your historical narration of these trains is thorough and informative. They should be right up my niche because I grew up near the IRT. New York City Transit Authority crews called that link between to married pair cars the drawbar. I like your introduction theme music. It makes me reminisce on how much I miss those good-old trains. I watched this show just to hear the music.
The bright red or tartar red scheme was popular with the transit authority during the 1960s. Ten R10 cars were painted bright red. In 1965 the R12/14 cars got the bright red treatment along with the R15 fleet. Then in 1967 most R17s and 1968 the R16s. Finally the R27/30 in 1969.
So basically the R142/142A is a "direct descendent" of the IRT Low V Subway cars via most Redbirds while the R62/62A is a direct descendent of the IRT High V Subway cars via most earlier R SMEE types like the R17-R22 Subway cars.
Great video .i bought a bunch of rail king model trains to paint and customize them into red birds / white trains and silver with blue stripe and weathered them ect
The Story Behind The Story: David Gunn had just moved up to the 'big leagues' from SEPTA. As NYCTA was casting about for a way forward on the graffiti problem, Gunn called down to Fern Rock Shops, asking for a 5-Gal can of the paint the original Broad Street B-1 cars were painted in. The NYCTA people apparently liked the look and the rest be History.
I have a few mth r29 that I would like to make into red birds of the 90s. Do you know what color red matched the gun red color. In there a specific car manufacturer color red that would match like 1967 chevy for example
BTW, the "B-1" reference to Broad Street Subway cars originated in SEPTA's Marketing Department, not from the operating side. Regarding the history of IRT paint, the shade used on the R-26/28s was called Olive Green...it had been used on the R-21/22s, the pre-WWII IRT cars, and of course the R-1/9s. It was also used on the Broad Street Subway cars...if Olive Green-painted cars weren't kept clean, they would gradually begin to look black to the casual observer. The R29/33s began to use the red, which also attracted the attention of PTC maintenance folks, who were in charge of Broad Street Subway car maintenance. They decided to start painting Broad Street Subway cars in that red used on the IRT beginning in 1962. (Bridge Line cars never got this red, but would be repainted in Navy Blue, with silver ends and doors.) Starting in late 1977, the Broad Street cars(along with some Bridge Line cars, which the City of Philadelphia bought after PATCO took over the Bridge Line in 1969) began to be painted in Tuscan Red, which was the paint scheme in the mind of David Gunn when he came to NYCTA.
Some added notes: The R29, R33ML and R36ML were inspired by TTC's Gloucesters (G-series) of 1953-1955, in the same bright red. The R36ML are actually leftover R33s assembled from leftover shells and parts when it was decided to rush the last 40 R33s out to the World's Fair as single units. All R26-R36 originally were WABCO SMEE ME42B braking, but the R26/R28/R29 and R33s 9076-9305 were rebuilt with NYAB Newtran, 8806-9075 rebuilt as WABCO E2. The Westinghouse R36s never had a full rebuild, all original controllers, doors, braking and also compressors in some cars, with only modest rewiring and reconditioning of control equipment and trucks.
You are correct in that the WH R36s did not get a complete GOH. As I understand it the WF cars were not sent out but were rebuilt at CI shops. The R33ML cars were rebuilt by MK and those cars really performed well for a long time on the IRT mainlines until their car bodies started to rust out. I used to ride them often on the 2/4/5 lines.
@@1575murray R33s at 207th, R26/R28/R29 at MK. 196 R36s at MK, the rest in house or at NYRC/NEMCO at Brooklyn Army Terminal (which was a Westinghouse subcontractor for the R68 assembly), a few cars done at GE Buffalo. 39 single units at Coney Island.
I remember back then in the 1960s and early 1970s I couldn't tell if the cars were brown or green. You confirmed it. A mini documentary well done. What a history the Blue 🐦 birds & The Red Birds had. It was a joy riding them and watching this video. Marvelous. 🙂
Since 1985 when l seen all these groups of cars in graffiti of became into a new form look of the same profile but clean with special paint that is washable as a process of overhaul rebuilts, cost per car of $187,876 of R26 cars groups, then R28 cars $172,000, and R29 cars $306,000 by Morrison Knudsen Car Rebuilders, That company must build passenger subway cars too!
Car company rebuilders must include of building decent subway city subway cars with larger sizes instead of buying trains from outer countries overseas its just lack of solutions it would be as well as high tech but combine and connect with the old into the new!
"I sure remember that deadly January 6th insurrection. It happened just as George Washington's third term was getting under way. I had just driven the Amtrak down fron Wilmington when Cornpop ran up and took a swing at me. So here I am, hiding under the Lincoln Memorial when all these Trump supporters start running around like they own the place. It's been over 1,000 years, but Hunter says I gotta put it outta my mind." --- FJB, as he was signing another $50-billion check for The Ukraine.
Congratulations on reaching this gigantic progress in your channel! Your hard work really deserves these amount of subs! What is super awesome about this video is that it’s long but super short and easy to understand in each timestamps. It’s super fantastic to the point that I recommend this video to anyone who wants to know about railfanning and the intricate history of the MTA’s fleet. This video can also be recommended for anyone who loves the Redbirds or have ridden them prior 2003 but does not know the history behind it. Again, thank you so much for making this video and defining the true characteristics and histories that these masterpieces contained. Congratulations on your progress, you already come in a long way! Your timeline fleet videos are also absolutely amazing and demonstrates the progression from the fleet’s beginnings to its present or end status. Keep up the great work!
P.S. - I wouldn’t say the ones that were reefed is “gone,” as they are still holding up incredibly well underwater, instead of the ones that are fully extinct in scrapyards. They are still visible when scuba diving and inspected by each reef sites at certain times of each year. By the way, here’s a most recent video of the Redbird Reef that I found recently. m.ua-cam.com/video/gknBnKd3x-k/v-deo.html Also, anyone can book a ticket to see these underwater Redbirds, older IRT SMEEs, and Brightliners. Here is one example. www.charlestonscuba.com/charters/advanced-open-water-sites/subway-cars-comanche/
I’m so glad you enjoyed the video so much! If you know any IRT lovers, make sure to send them the video! It’s great that the time stamps worked well, thanks for the feedback! I’ve seen a few videos of the reefed Redbirds underwater, they’re pretty cool.
I love ur videos very much
I'm a retired IRT subway motorman. I ran all classes of redbirds during my 31 years in the motorman's seat. I even ran the R36WF cars on the IRT mainline.
What did you think of them? How were they compared to other types?
@@TRRailfan They were great. The R36WF cars were my favorites, and could really strut their stuff on the 7th and Lexington Avenue expresses.
Chiming in after 3 years. The R-27/30 came in as Olive Drab - the IRT R21/22 was similar but I can't say they were identical. The R-17 came in a type of Maroon (reddish purple). The R-28,29,33 came in with Cherry Red (also used on a few R-10s). The white was the color that was done as an anti-graffitti statement. Some R-16 and R-27/30 cars got white, but no R-10s. Totally impractical and blinding on cloudless days it truly was a shock to see the first couple of times you saw it. Initially they were kept in solid trains. In order to declare the entire system graffiti free inside and out by May 1987 many cars about to be retired by the incoming R-62A and R68/68A fleets were repainted in green and Tuscan Red. During the transition to graffittie free, repainted and protected cars were run in solid trains. GO is not a word, it is an abbreviation for General Overhaul. Also the air-conditioning retrofit of the R-33/36 fleet began about 3 years before the first G.O. cars appeared (which was on the 7 and done in house to a lesser standard than the greater number sent out to contractors). The pilot IRT air conditioning retrofit train was done in 1975 and kept graffiti free long after the rest of the fleet was thoroughly vandalized (but not all the way to adoption of 1981 white). That train was used for special occasions, like when the Mayor, Pope or UMTA administrator needed to do a publicity ride.
This is one of the most informative videos on the Redbirds I've seen. I used to ride the Bluebirds to the World's Fair and Shea Stadium in '64 and '65. The bright blue and white interiors were a sharp contrast to most other trains of that time period. I always wondered how the 11th car fit in. Now I know. Keep up the great work!
While the WF cars were being rebuilt some other married pair types (R26/28) were loaned to the Flushing line to allow the TA to maintain the service. Single R17 cars were placed in the consists to allow them to run 11 car trains.
@@1575murray Main Line R33 and R36s were commonly loaned as well. Also 40 R33s were loaned from the Bronx in April-August 1964 for World's Fair service until all R36s were delivered.
❤❤❤❤❤ train
I've always loved learning the history of the NYC Subway. The NYC Transit museum has a few of these. I loved the Worlds Fair on the 7. Blue and white. Instead of using the retired Red birds as artificial reefs, I would've liked to see them used as shelters for the homeless. Little bungalows on land similar to trailer parks.
Absolutely incredible that the Train of Many Colors actually has some prototypical precedent!
I remember these growing up in Brooklyn, NY in the 80s!! These were my favorite, along with the R32's. Those to me were the best train designs with COLD A/C!! LOLOL
I was born in 55 and for as long as I remember, there were always Red Birds. I don't remember their purchase. But I do remember the late 60s and early 70s when the routes changes on the IND and BMT and those 2 divisions got new rolling stock. It seemed like all through the 70s the IRT had the worst cars. They would mix older cars with newer ones and the fleet looked uninformed and awful. It was not until the mid 80s that the refurbished red bird fleet looked really cool.
Yeah I was born 20 years later after you, and I remember the subway as a small child in Brooklyn in the late 1970's to the early 1980's and it did seem like the IRT had the worst subway cars in the system, with graffiti making it worst, as I grew up along the Livonia Line (2 train, later 3 & 4 trains). It was not until the mid 1980's when it started to change with the IRT.
Good Job! You're obviously a young guy, and this was a very well done and informative video. Too bad you're not getting school credit. I loved learning more about the Redbirds, and I hope you keep making such videos.
Your historical narration of these trains is thorough and informative. They should be right up my niche because I grew up near the IRT. New York City Transit Authority crews called that link between to married pair cars the drawbar. I like your introduction theme music. It makes me reminisce on how much I miss those good-old trains. I watched this show just to hear the music.
The bright red or tartar red scheme was popular with the transit authority during the 1960s. Ten R10 cars were painted bright red. In 1965 the R12/14 cars got the bright red treatment along with the R15 fleet. Then in 1967 most R17s and 1968 the R16s. Finally the R27/30 in 1969.
So basically the R142/142A is a "direct descendent" of the IRT Low V Subway cars via most Redbirds while the R62/62A is a direct descendent of the IRT High V Subway cars via most earlier R SMEE types like the R17-R22 Subway cars.
They could never take the 8 and 9 and V trains away.
Great video .i bought a bunch of rail king model trains to paint and customize them into red birds / white trains and silver with blue stripe and weathered them ect
The Story Behind The Story:
David Gunn had just moved up to the 'big leagues' from SEPTA. As NYCTA was casting about for a way forward on the graffiti problem, Gunn called down to Fern Rock Shops, asking for a 5-Gal can of the paint the original Broad Street B-1 cars were painted in. The NYCTA people apparently liked the look and the rest be History.
I have a few mth r29 that I would like to make into red birds of the 90s. Do you know what color red matched the gun red color. In there a specific car manufacturer color red that would match like 1967 chevy for example
BTW, the "B-1" reference to Broad Street Subway cars originated in SEPTA's Marketing Department, not from the operating side. Regarding the history of IRT paint, the shade used on the R-26/28s was called Olive Green...it had been used on the R-21/22s, the pre-WWII IRT cars, and of course the R-1/9s. It was also used on the Broad Street Subway cars...if Olive Green-painted cars weren't kept clean, they would gradually begin to look black to the casual observer. The R29/33s began to use the red, which also attracted the attention of PTC maintenance folks, who were in charge of Broad Street Subway car maintenance. They decided to start painting Broad Street Subway cars in that red used on the IRT beginning in 1962. (Bridge Line cars never got this red, but would be repainted in Navy Blue, with silver ends and doors.) Starting in late 1977, the Broad Street cars(along with some Bridge Line cars, which the City of Philadelphia bought after PATCO took over the Bridge Line in 1969) began to be painted in Tuscan Red, which was the paint scheme in the mind of David Gunn when he came to NYCTA.
Was waiting for this for a while. 1K sounds like a small milestone, but this video did a really good job at making it special! Congrats on 1K!
MY LEAST FAVORITE PAINT SCHEME IS THE WHITE SCHEME AND MY FAVORITE PAINT SCHEME IS THE BLUE AND SILVER SCHEME
A beautiful video, thank you.
Make a history video of the r16
Some added notes: The R29, R33ML and R36ML were inspired by TTC's Gloucesters (G-series) of 1953-1955, in the same bright red. The R36ML are actually leftover R33s assembled from leftover shells and parts when it was decided to rush the last 40 R33s out to the World's Fair as single units. All R26-R36 originally were WABCO SMEE ME42B braking, but the R26/R28/R29 and R33s 9076-9305 were rebuilt with NYAB Newtran, 8806-9075 rebuilt as WABCO E2. The Westinghouse R36s never had a full rebuild, all original controllers, doors, braking and also compressors in some cars, with only modest rewiring and reconditioning of control equipment and trucks.
cool
You are correct in that the WH R36s did not get a complete GOH. As I understand it the WF cars were not sent out but were rebuilt at CI shops. The R33ML cars were rebuilt by MK and those cars really performed well for a long time on the IRT mainlines until their car bodies started to rust out. I used to ride them often on the 2/4/5 lines.
@@1575murray R33s at 207th, R26/R28/R29 at MK. 196 R36s at MK, the rest in house or at NYRC/NEMCO at Brooklyn Army Terminal (which was a Westinghouse subcontractor for the R68 assembly), a few cars done at GE Buffalo. 39 single units at Coney Island.
Amazing, the red birds!
I remember back then in the 1960s and early 1970s I couldn't tell if the cars were brown or green. You confirmed it. A mini documentary well done. What a history the Blue 🐦 birds & The Red Birds had. It was a joy riding them and watching this video. Marvelous. 🙂
I enjoyed video
fourth 😎 also congrats!! u deserve 1k and this video is so cool
Mad I missed riding those in service
A few R17s were given the redbird scheme before retiring in 1988.
Yep. Some others too. However I didn’t include them here because they were different in many ways and retired much earlier.
They had one at the Shore Line Trolley Museum, but they painted back in it's 1970s silver and blue color a few years ago.
Very nice video
R142 and R142A: Gets mentioned in video for replacing Redbirds
Meanwhile R142S subway cars: sad R142S noises
i still don't know what an R142S is no one will tell me
I heard that the R142S is one of the R142 type trains. I also made that as a meme.
@@TRRailfan r142s we're cars in 1000s
GAS GAS GAS
5:29 it should be limit to only 10 R33WF cars cuz R36 cars all have air conditioning
Can you do one on the r32? Thank you so much!
To me you gave a but more of explanation than shade jay!
At 2:23 it says 6 Super EXPRESS
Can anyone tell me why red birds in the gunn red scheme absolutely never ran on the 3 line??? I've looked around for answers but turned up nothing.
7:44 R142A 7 train
r188 testing not r142a
It is a r142a 7 train
I can tell because this photo took where when the Redbirds existed
@@ElGatoDelInfierno HAH U JUST GOT PRANKED JUST KIDDING I AM PLAYING AROUND
@@sumairasantana3911 LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOL
You could’ve say that in April fools
Wow….. Redbirds towed in the water…. Wet…. rip 2003
Can you make a history of R46 please?
Sure! I will do a poll soon on the next big history video.
The R-29s and R-33s were red when delivered.
They were having issues with the body frame that's why it led to retirement
Uh I think the Redbirds look like old 1930s tube stock trains
Since 1985 when l seen all these groups of cars in graffiti of became into a new form look of the same profile but clean with special paint that is washable as a process of overhaul rebuilts, cost per car of $187,876 of R26 cars groups, then R28 cars $172,000, and R29 cars $306,000 by Morrison Knudsen Car Rebuilders, That company must build passenger subway cars too!
They did. CTA 3200s most notably.
Car company rebuilders must include of building decent subway city subway cars with larger sizes instead of buying trains from outer countries overseas its just lack of solutions it would be as well as high tech but combine and connect with the old into the new!
Fun fact it was the first coloured MTA train blue birds were in servise in 1964
Blue birds were the second
huh
6:50 why is in the subtitles “R33WL”.? Please tell me
sorry about that, i’ll fix it soon
@@TRRailfan ok. I like the vid btw
Can you make a video about abandoned stations
Which one?
IND Culver Line Bergen Street
BUDD R32 sind die Coolstn' ya
Didn’t the R17’s get a Redbird paint later on?
A few of them did but it was just paint, not an overhaul.
@@TRRailfan 16 cars in 1985-86.
well the whitebirds were covered in graffiti but the redirds were not also the R33 pre goh was covered in graffti
yes?
Can you put the location of the last Redbird that is actually viewable other that TOMC
it's in Queens or something
@@TRRailfan Queens
Borough Hall
no borough hall is in brooklyn
@@TRRailfan there is one in Queens
preeeeety sure boro hall is in Brooklyn man
R33ml cars 1962 60 years 2022
You're colorblind. It's Olive Drab Green (Think US Army).
early
But also the R68s were graffiti proof too
Yes but this video is mostly about the IRT.
First
Why reef them when they can scrap them at the scrap yard…
fish house
Hat UA-cam ein Erkältung oder so... 🤔
"I sure remember that deadly January 6th insurrection. It happened just as George Washington's third term was getting under way. I had just driven the Amtrak down fron Wilmington when Cornpop ran up and took a swing at me. So here I am, hiding under the Lincoln Memorial when all these Trump supporters start running around like they own the place. It's been over 1,000 years, but Hunter says I gotta put it outta my mind."
--- FJB, as he was signing another $50-billion check for The Ukraine.
You misspelled “Trump,” cultist.
Red birds when they saw the new cars in 2000: Yall know what this means right?
New cars: Whos number 1 now?
I don’t understand
Waita minute *starts speaking vodka*
What
Older IRT cars: REVENGE TIME BRING IN THE R142AS AND R142S
Redbird: well I take your r142as and converted them into r188 now we’re even kinda since you still have more r142as
❤❤❤❤❤ train