NEW YORK — New York City Transit concluded its farewell to the Budd-built “Brightliner” R-32 subway cars Sunday, operating the equipment for the final time on the same line (today’s Q Line, the former BMT Brighton Line) where the cars made their debut 58 years ago [see “New York MTA sets farewell …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 13, 2021]. The cars, which received their nickname for their fluted-side, stainless-steel design, entered revenue service in September 1964 after testing began in August 1964. The MTA said they were some of the world’s longest-serving transit equipment.
— Updated Jan. 11 at 3:15 p.m. to correct date of first revenue service.
After the younger and problematic but diligent R42 subway cars, the honorable retirement time has come for the legendary “Brightliners (R32s)”!
Maybe most of them will be shipped out to the Atlantic Ocean for reefing too.
Let me bid you farewell dear robust rail buddies! Believe me or not, you will be greatly missed in the Big Apple!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
We suspect the mantle passes to Amtrak’s Cab Cars, built as Metroliner MU
coaches starting in 1967.
Also, we have the PATCO High Speed cars operating between Philadelphia and Lindenwold NJ.
Both groups of cars were, of course, built by Budd.