Brooklyn Rapid Transit 1404



Facts and Figures


Current Number1404
Railway RepresentedBrooklyn Rapid Transit
BuilderJewett Car Company
Built In1907
Builder's order id
Currently in (State)New York
--(Locality)New York
Totally out of svc date1969
(Initial retirement date)
Car Typerapid transit car
-subtypeopen platform car
-designation
Statusoperated occasionally
More info
Gauge4'8.5"
Constructionwood
Roof typeRR
EndedDE
Length48'11"
Width
Height
Weight69000
#Seats54
#Wheels/Conf.8
Total HP240
TrucksMcGuire Hedley Special
BrakesAML
CompressorWABCO D2F
ControlWH AB (8)
MotorsGE 259 (2)
Voltage (if not 600DC)
NotesOriginally had Alco Z380/Peckham 40 trucks and 2 WH 300 motors

Car 1404 in operation in New York in 2019
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dpirmann/49644310982/

Car 1404 in operation in New York in 2019
Flickr
photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lensepix/48823271433/
Car History by Jeff Hakner & Frank Hicks


Brooklyn Rapid Transit 1404
One of the well-known trio of wooden cars that has travelled the New York subway system periodically for the past 25 years, 1404 has led a strange and eventful life. For the first three decades of its life it operated in essentially the configuration it is currently in - an open-plaform wood car. But in the late 1930's, to modernize the fleet serving the Corona/Flushing line for the 1939 World's Fair, BMT decided to rebuild 90 of its old elevated cars into 30 semi-permanently mated three-car sets known as "Q" (for "Queens") cars. This involved enclosing the cars' platforms, installing quarter-point side doors, and reworking the control systems so that each set functioned in a motor/trailer/motor fashion. Car 1404 was rebuilt thusly and became the "C" car of set 1603. In 1950, the "Q" fleet was transferred to the Third Avenue Elevated and lighter-weight trucks from IRT composite cars were fitted to 1603C and the other end (motor) cars. The final change to the appearance of the "Q" fleet came in 1957, when they were transferred to the Myrtle Avenue Line and their railroad roofs were lowered in height so that they could make it through the subway to the Coney Island shop complex. Retired in the late 1960's along with the other "Q" types, set 1603 was chosen for preservation and operated on fantrips during the 1970's. In 1979 it was decided that the three cars in set 1603 would be rebuilt to original as-built condition. This was done, but incompletely; the cars retained their 1957 lowered roofs and 1950 lightweight trucks. Since 1979 car 1404, plus the other two cars from "Q" set 1603, has been on display at NYTM and has occasionally run in fantrip service.

Ownership History


OwnerCar NumFromToPreservation?Loan?
Brooklyn Rapid Transit (New York, Brooklyn)14041907 1923 NO NO
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit (New York, Brooklyn)14041923 1939 NO NO
Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit (New York, Brooklyn)1603C1939 1940 NO NO
New York City Board of Transportation (New York, New York)1603C1940 1953 NO NO
New York City Transit Authority (New York, New York)1603C1953 1969 NO NO
New York City Transit Authority (New York, New York)1603C1969 1979 YES NO
New York Transit Museum (New York, New York)14041979 present YES NO

Additional Media

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Car 1404 in operation in New York in 2018
YouTube
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLAKZxzNuRU