Flivver Lo-V (New York City Subway Car)
Encyclopedia
The Flivver Lo-V, a New York City Subway
car type, was built in 1915 for the IRT
and its successors, which included the NYC Board of Transportation and the New York City Transit Authority
. The name Flivver originates from a slang term of the same name used during the early part of the 20th century to refer to any small car that gave a rough ride.
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.
Interior and Exterior
The interior and exterior of a Flivver Lo-V was similar to the rest of the IRT fleet that predated it. Individual, square rattan
seats were arranged in a longitudinal seating pattern along the side walls of the car. Three doors on each side - two at the end vestibules and one in the center - provided for entrance and exit from the car. Incandescent lighting
was used, and paddle ceiling fans
cooled the car. Clerestory
style vents in the upper roof opened for additional airflow. The carbody was made entirely of steel, with drop sash windows running down the sides of the car. The cars used metal signage displayed in the side windows of the car to indicate destinations and route. Kerosene lamps were displayed on the ends of trains as running lights - white for the front of the train and red for the rear.
Low Voltage Propulsion
"Lo-V" is short for "Low Voltage" which refers to the cars' form of propulsion control. Earlier Composite and "Hi-V" (High Voltage) equipment that ran on the IRT utilized a 600 volt DC circuit that ran directly through the motorman's master controller to control the car's propulsion. The 600 volts was also trainlined through the whole train by the use of high voltage jumper cables. However, Lo-V equipment used trainlined battery voltage (32 volts) in the motor control circuit to move high voltage (600 volt) contacts underneath each car, which would control the car's propulsion. This tremendously improved the safety of the equipment for both train crews and shop personnel alike.
Older Style Braking
Flivver Lo-V's maintained the older braking system of the High Voltage equipment. The older setup, known as AMRE, featured different notches on the brake stand for the motorman depending on if he was operating his brakes with electric control (which synchronized the brakes on all cars of the train electrically) or if he was operating pneumatically (which did not synchronize the brakes, and took longer to react). The newer setup, to be known as AMUE, came on the Steinways
and Standard Lo-Vs
, but never on the Flivvers. AMUE brake stands would utilize the same notch to apply brakes regardless of whether or not the electric brake was active. However, the Flivvers maintained the older AMRE setup, which had also been used on many of the Hi-V cars. They were the only car with Low Voltage propulsion to use the AMRE setup.
Compatibility with the rest of the IRT Fleet
Because the Low Voltage Propulsion system was not compatible with earlier High Voltage equipment, the Flivvers could not run with those cars. Because the Flivver AMRE braking setup was not compatible with the other Low Voltage equipment, the Flivvers could not run with those cars either. Therefore, they could only run amongst themselves. Further, they were found to perform better in certain specific combinations than in others, and so they were left to run in these "optimal" configurations. When arranged in less than optimal configurations, the cars often gave a very rough ride with a lot of bucking. In optimal configurations they were respectable performers. Many IRT crews commented about the speed of these cars, even noting that at the end of their service lives, they were still significantly faster than the other equipment running.This was because, towards the end of their operation, trailers cars were eliminated and the Flivvers operated in trains of all motor cars. Historians hypothesize that their speed was a large reason why they were typically assigned to express services throughout their lifetimes.
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
car type, was built in 1915 for the IRT
Interborough Rapid Transit Company
The Interborough Rapid Transit Company was the private operator of the original underground New York City Subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier elevated railways and additional rapid transit lines in New York City. The IRT was purchased by the City in June 1940...
and its successors, which included the NYC Board of Transportation and the New York City Transit Authority
New York City Transit Authority
The New York City Transit Authority is a public authority in the U.S. state of New York that operates public transportation in New York City...
. The name Flivver originates from a slang term of the same name used during the early part of the 20th century to refer to any small car that gave a rough ride.
Service History
Initially, the Flivvers ran on on the original IRT Manhattan 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 LineIRT Lexington Avenue Line
The Lexington Avenue Line is one of the lines of the IRT division of the New York City Subway, stretching from Downtown Brooklyn or Lower Manhattan north to 125th Street in East Harlem. The portion in Lower and Midtown Manhattan was part of the first subway line in New York...
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
2 (New York City Subway service)
The 2 Seventh Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored red on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue Line through most of Manhattan....
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
4 (New York City Subway service)
The 4 Lexington Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored green on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses the IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan....
and 5
5 (New York City Subway service)
The 5 Lexington Avenue Express is a rapid transit service of the New York City Subway. It is colored green on station signs, route signs, and the official subway map, since it uses IRT Lexington Avenue Line in Manhattan....
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.
Description
FleetFlivver 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
Steinway (New York City Subway car)
The Steinway Lo-V, a New York City Subway car, was built in 1915–25. These cars were built specifically for use on the IRT Corona Line...
. Flivvers utilized parts from the IRT Composites
Composite (New York City Subway car)
The Composite is a New York City Subway car class built in 1903–04 for the Interborough Rapid Transit Company and its successor, the NYC Board of Transportation....
, which were being modified at the time to provide service on the IRT's Manhattan and Bronx elevated lines beginning in 1916.
Interior and Exterior
The interior and exterior of a Flivver Lo-V was similar to the rest of the IRT fleet that predated it. Individual, square rattan
Rattan
Rattan is the name for the roughly 600 species of palms in the tribe Calameae, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australasia.- Structure :...
seats were arranged in a longitudinal seating pattern along the side walls of the car. Three doors on each side - two at the end vestibules and one in the center - provided for entrance and exit from the car. Incandescent lighting
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
was used, and paddle ceiling fans
Ceiling fan
A ceiling fan is a fan, usually electrically powered, suspended from the ceiling of a room, that uses hub-mounted rotating paddles to circulate air....
cooled the car. Clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
style vents in the upper roof opened for additional airflow. The carbody was made entirely of steel, with drop sash windows running down the sides of the car. The cars used metal signage displayed in the side windows of the car to indicate destinations and route. Kerosene lamps were displayed on the ends of trains as running lights - white for the front of the train and red for the rear.
Low Voltage Propulsion
"Lo-V" is short for "Low Voltage" which refers to the cars' form of propulsion control. Earlier Composite and "Hi-V" (High Voltage) equipment that ran on the IRT utilized a 600 volt DC circuit that ran directly through the motorman's master controller to control the car's propulsion. The 600 volts was also trainlined through the whole train by the use of high voltage jumper cables. However, Lo-V equipment used trainlined battery voltage (32 volts) in the motor control circuit to move high voltage (600 volt) contacts underneath each car, which would control the car's propulsion. This tremendously improved the safety of the equipment for both train crews and shop personnel alike.
Older Style Braking
Flivver Lo-V's maintained the older braking system of the High Voltage equipment. The older setup, known as AMRE, featured different notches on the brake stand for the motorman depending on if he was operating his brakes with electric control (which synchronized the brakes on all cars of the train electrically) or if he was operating pneumatically (which did not synchronize the brakes, and took longer to react). The newer setup, to be known as AMUE, came on the Steinways
Steinway (New York City Subway car)
The Steinway Lo-V, a New York City Subway car, was built in 1915–25. These cars were built specifically for use on the IRT Corona Line...
and Standard Lo-Vs
Lo-V (New York City Subway car)
The Standard Lo-V was a class of New York City Subway car built from 1916–25 for the IRT. It was the third "Lo-V" type car order for the IRT, as it arrived after the Flivver Lo-Vs and the first Steinway Lo-Vs.-Description:...
, but never on the Flivvers. AMUE brake stands would utilize the same notch to apply brakes regardless of whether or not the electric brake was active. However, the Flivvers maintained the older AMRE setup, which had also been used on many of the Hi-V cars. They were the only car with Low Voltage propulsion to use the AMRE setup.
Compatibility with the rest of the IRT Fleet
Because the Low Voltage Propulsion system was not compatible with earlier High Voltage equipment, the Flivvers could not run with those cars. Because the Flivver AMRE braking setup was not compatible with the other Low Voltage equipment, the Flivvers could not run with those cars either. Therefore, they could only run amongst themselves. Further, they were found to perform better in certain specific combinations than in others, and so they were left to run in these "optimal" configurations. When arranged in less than optimal configurations, the cars often gave a very rough ride with a lot of bucking. In optimal configurations they were respectable performers. Many IRT crews commented about the speed of these cars, even noting that at the end of their service lives, they were still significantly faster than the other equipment running.This was because, towards the end of their operation, trailers cars were eliminated and the Flivvers operated in trains of all motor cars. Historians hypothesize that their speed was a large reason why they were typically assigned to express services throughout their lifetimes.
Flivver Lo-V specifications
- Car Builder: Pullman CompanyPullman CompanyThe Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
- Car Body: Steel
- Unit Numbers: 4037-4160 (motors), 4161-4214 (trailers)
- Fleet: 178 cars (124 motors, 54 trailers)
- Car Length: 51 feet, 1/2 inch
- Car Width: 8 feet, 10 inches
- Car Height: 11 feet, 101/2 inches
- Total Weight: Motor car: 77700 lb (35,244.1 kg)
Trailer car: 55600 lb (25,219.7 kg) - Track Gauge: 4 feet, 81/2 inches
- Propulsion System: Motor car: GEGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
PC8 or PC10
Trailer car: None - Motors: Motor car: WestinghouseWestinghouse Electric (1886)Westinghouse Electric was an American manufacturing company. It was founded in 1886 as Westinghouse Electric Company and later renamed Westinghouse Electric Corporation by George Westinghouse. The company purchased CBS in 1995 and became CBS Corporation in 1997...
300 or GEGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
212, two motors per car (both on motor truck, trailer truck not motorized)
Trailer car: None - Motor Power: 200 horsepower each
- Brakes: WABCOWestinghouse Air Brake CompanyThe railway air brake was invented by George Westinghouse of New York state in 1869. Soon after, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company on September 28, 1869...
Schedule AMRE with R type triple valve, ME-21 brake stand, and simplex tread brake rigging - Air Compressor: WABCOWestinghouse Air Brake CompanyThe railway air brake was invented by George Westinghouse of New York state in 1869. Soon after, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company on September 28, 1869...
D-2-F - Coupler Type: WABCOWestinghouse Air Brake CompanyThe railway air brake was invented by George Westinghouse of New York state in 1869. Soon after, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company on September 28, 1869...
F - Total Seating: 44
- Total Standing: 152
See also
- Steinway Lo-VSteinway (New York City Subway car)The Steinway Lo-V, a New York City Subway car, was built in 1915–25. These cars were built specifically for use on the IRT Corona Line...
, a low voltage propulsion control IRT subway car built from 1915-1925. - Standard Lo-VLo-V (New York City Subway car)The Standard Lo-V was a class of New York City Subway car built from 1916–25 for the IRT. It was the third "Lo-V" type car order for the IRT, as it arrived after the Flivver Lo-Vs and the first Steinway Lo-Vs.-Description:...
, a low voltage propulsion control IRT subway car built from 1916-1925. - World's Fair Lo-VWorld's Fair (New York City Subway car)The World's Fair Lo-V, a New York City Subway car, was built in 1938. These 50 cars were ordered for IRT Flushing Line service to the 1939 World's Fair. They were modified variants of the standard IRT Steinway/Low-V body, with the "ogee" roof and were single-ended single units.Only one car, 5655,...
, a low voltage propulsion control IRT subway car built in 1938.