Flivver Lo-V (New York City Subway car)
| Flivver Lo-V | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Pullman Company |
| Replaced | 1962 |
| Constructed | 1915 |
| Refurbishment | 1955-1958 |
| Number built | 178 |
| Number preserved | 0 |
| Number scrapped | 178 (124 motors, 54 trailers) |
| Fleet numbers | 4037-4160 (motors) 4161-4214 (trailers) |
| Capacity | 196: 44 (seated) 152 (standing) |
| Operator(s) |
Interborough Rapid Transit Company New York City Transit Authority |
| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Steel |
| Car length | 51 ft 0.5 in (15.56 m) |
| Width | 8 ft 10 in (2,692 mm) |
| Height | 11 ft 10.5 in (3,620 mm) |
| Floor height | 3 ft 2 1⁄8 in (0.97 m) |
| Doors | 6 |
| Maximum speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) |
| Weight |
Motor car: 77,700 lb (35,200 kg) Trailer car: 55,600 lb (25,200 kg) |
| Traction system |
Motor car: GE PC8 or PC10 using Westinghouse 300 or GE 212 motors (200 hp each). Two motors per car (both on motor truck, trailer truck not motorized). Trailer car: None Air Compressor: WABCO D-2-F |
| Power output | 200 hp (149 kW) per traction motor |
| Electric system(s) | 600 V DC Third rail |
| Current collection method | Top running Contact shoe |
| Braking system(s) | WABCO Schedule AMRE with R type triple valve, ME-21 brake stand, and simplex tread brake rigging |
| Coupling system | WABCO F |
| Headlight type | Kerosene light |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) |
The Flivver Lo-V, a New York City Subway car type, was built in 1915 for the IRT and its successors, which included the New York City Board of Transportation and the New York City Transit Authority. The name Flivver originates from a used during the early part of the 20th century to refer to any small car that gave a rough ride.
Initially, the Flivvers ran on the original IRT mainline express, which utilized the modern day IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line north of 42nd Street on Broadway and Seventh Avenue, the modern day 42nd Street Shuttle, and the modern day IRT Lexington Avenue Line south of 42nd Street on Park Avenue South. Following the 1918 IRT expansion into the modern "H" system that serves Manhattan's East and West sides separately with the 42nd Street Shuttle connecting them, the Flivvers ran primarily on the Seventh Avenue Express (today served by the 2 route). Later, beginning in the 1950s, the cars also ran on the East Side lines, providing express service on Lexington Avenue to both the Jerome Avenue and White Plains Road branches (served today by the 4 and 5 routes respectively). The last Flivver to run in service ran on the Lexington-White Plains Road Express in 1962, and was removed from service at that time.
No Flivver cars have been preserved. All were scrapped following their removal from revenue service.
Flivver Lo-Vs were arranged in mixed trains consisting of trailers and motor cars. While trailer cars were equipped with brakes, but no air compressors or motors, motor cars were equipped with all three. The Flivvers were part of the first generation of Lo-V subway cars, along with the first Steinways. Flivvers utilized parts from the IRT Composites, which were being modified at the time to provide service on the IRT's Manhattan and Bronx elevated lines beginning in 1916.
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