R33 World's Fair (New York City Subway car)

R33 World's Fair
R33WF 9306, in its original colors, leads the Train of Many Colors through 40 St – Lowery St on a <7> express run to Mets – Willets Point, April 2008.
Interior of R33WF 9306
In service	1963-2001
Manufacturer	St. Louis Car Company
Built at	St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Constructed	1963
Entered service	1963
Refurbishment	1985
Scrapped	2001 (9321) 2010 (9339) 2013 (several cars)
Number built	40
Number in service	(28 in work service)
Number preserved	2
Number scrapped	10
Fleet numbers	9306–9345
Capacity	44 (seated)
Operator(s)	New York City Subway
Specifications
Car body construction	LAHT (Low Alloy High Tensile) steel
Car length	51.04 feet (15.56 m)
Width	8.75 feet (2,667 mm)
Height	11.86 feet (3,615 mm)
Doors	6
Weight	75,122 lb (34,075 kg) (pre-rebuild)
Traction system	Westinghouse XCA248E with Westinghouse (WH) 1447C
Auxiliaries	Motor-generator and battery set (WH YX304E)
Electric system(s)	600 V DC Third rail
Current collection method	Contact shoe
Braking system(s)	WABCO, "SMEE" (electrodynamic)
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The R33 World's Fair (R33 WF) was a New York City Subway car that was built in late 1963 by St Louis Car Company for the "A" Division before the 1964 New York World's Fair.

The R33 World's Fair cars were numbered 9306–9345. The cars were very similar to the R33s, save for differently shaped side windows (three-piece curved windows on the R33 World's Fair cars as opposed to three-sectioned rectangular windows on the R33s), and the fact that the R33 World's Fair cars were single cars with a cab at both ends. The cars were built as single cars to make 11-car trains with the R36 WF cars, which were built as two-car sets (pairs).

Although the R33/36 World's Fair cars were later referred to as Redbirds, the cars were originally painted in a light turquoise blue and white upon delivery. This "Bluebird" paint color scheme was used until the mid-1970s when they were painted in the silver/blue MTA livery. Then they were painted a full white (roof, bonnets, sides were all painted white) from 1981 to 1982 to combat graffiti; since the white paint was a Teflon-based paint, the graffiti did not stick to it very well. The look was abandoned for the famous Redbird style. The Redbirds were painted between 1984 and 1989 to a deep maroon red body, black front bonnets and anti-climbers, and a silver roof.

The first R33 World's Fair cars were placed in service on the 7 train on September 26, 1963. The cars were solely assigned to the 7 (IRT Flushing Line) and were based out of Corona Yard.

The R33 World's Fair cars were rebuilt in-house in 1985 by the Coney Island Shop. However, they were not retrofitted with air conditioning system and instead retained their original Axiflow ceiling fans. For this reason, they were not used during the summer months due to poor air circulation or air flow and high humidity.