My wife spotted this, and thought it was interesting; for once, I have to agree :-):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/0 ... 45691.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-YMVSOq ... _embedded#!

One of the more interesting things about this is the sponsor of this service. Now, if only we could get something similar in steam. . .

I'm surprised in todays legal world that those cars can meet the standards to run.

Apparently this isn't as rare as I thought it was. Below is a quote from Alon Levy, who also writes on other weblogs in regard to transit and rail:

"NYCT does this once in a while. For a few weeks in November and December, it runs a vintage 1930s train every Sunday."

Apparently the equipment still meets applicable safety standards; my guess is this is no worse than running a 1920s Pullman on an Amtrak train at over 100 mph.

That's amazing!

I know there was a museum in NY sponsoring a "nostalgic trip" on historic equipment but was (am) not aware of regular runnings in Nov /Dec?

I'm surprised, too, they meet modern standards - such as the mentioned ceiling fans, especially on a public run. How is that (and other possible issues) addressed? I'd have figured no exceptions in today's legal system. Surprised there is not even a mandatory handicap access issue (or maybe that was solved?).

Most surprising - it's not necessary and yet, it's being done! Wow!

Runner up, surprising, as commented - seems a grand canvas for tagging.

Congrats and kudos to NYC.

/Mitch

Saw that last comment, and I think the legal issues may be exaggerated---

In regard to handicap access, the trains are high-platform, level loading. Shouldn't be any worse than modern trains on the same line, provided the doors are wide enough.

Ceiling fans look to give you plenty of head-room; main worry I would have would be dumb kids jumping up to see if they could catch the fan. That would likely be harder on the fan than on the kids.

Had to chuckle about the lights going out, presumably as the cars hit gaps in the third rail.

In general regard to legal issues, the cars may be grandfathered or exempted as historic equipment; after all, steam engines don't have to meet modern pollution standards, and while some may wish to keep up to date with ditch lights on steam, they are not absolutely required if I recall things correctly, at least not on the federal level.

Evidence of the November-December scheduled runs--a video of one of these vintage trains in New York sporting a lighted wreath at the front; platform gap is nice and tight, shouldn't be a problem for wheelchair access:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDqgny1h ... re=related

The gap is a bit wider at the out-of-service (but still ornate) City Hall station (modern equipment), due to tight curve radii; argh, horrible flange noise!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4yNmT7Y ... ature=fvwp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVy_8J4U ... re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj2RbABD ... re=related

Ride on the "Low V's" from Brooklyn Bridge station to City Hall and back; good sounds (like a trolley car) but a bit of profanity from crew members, viewer discretion advised.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj2RbABD ... re=related

More "Low-V" footage; YouTube is addictive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC0yeADl ... re=related

The old cars in daylight on elevated trackage in 1999:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJAJCtp7 ... re=related

Have fun, transit fans.

Just one more:

Amazing acceleration with a long train, apparently of several car types:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpM1ZalR ... re=related

OK, two more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obLt4q5t ... re=related

Finally, it looks like they are preserving buses as part of transit history, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyGL1Iw3XWc

Many of the railroad business cars are over 100 years young. The railroads didn't scrap everything. It was too expensive to replace. They also wanted extra cars for peak travel periods, and emergencys. These Low V's were hidden in the tunnel system for years. So management couldn't scrap them. As a kid , I kept hearing stories about them long before there was a museum.

"These Low V's were hidden in the tunnel system for years. So management couldn't scrap them. As a kid , I kept hearing stories about them long before there was a museum."

more on this?

Not so surprising.

There is of course a subway museum, which is worth a visit

http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/

and old technology equipment does run elsewhere. See New Orleans or San Francisco. The cable cars are the best example of "obsolete" technology. People get hurt on them all the time, but the novelty overrules the safety.

The LoV cars are not owned by the MTA or the Subway museum, but rather a private group known as Railway Preservation Corporation. They have owned these cars, and others since about 1989.

These cars were in service until at least the 1960s, and maybe later, so it's doubtful they had to be hidden in order to be preserved. They operated in fan trip service as early as the 1970s, initially painted in a tuscan red scheme with "Interborough" on the letterboards.

As for the train of various types of 1950s cars, in different paint, sisters of those cars, the last Red Birds were retired only recently. These cars, while from different "contracts" were technically similar.

There are stories that some of the Low Voltage cars were stored "accidentally on purpose" in obscure places like the Express tracks in the tunnel near Gun Hill Rd. on the Dyre Ave. line. They would be moved elsewhere when inventories of material to be scrapped were being taken in that area.
"Railway Preservation Corporation" may have stored some cars of various ownership in the Brooklyn Army Depot.

"Railway Preservation Corp" (namely one individual) did indeed save alot, but alot was also saved by the NYCTA as well. I dont think he stored anything in the Brooklyn Army Terminal, the cars there (still are) are former LIRR cars.

Another thing that helps, remember, NYCTA/Subways are not governed under the FRA...

Is there a list of cars that are currently stored at BAT?

Regarding acceleration: As far as I know all NY Subway cars are powered, with either two or four big traction motors. When the motorman "cranks 'em up", each car is powering itself, under the control of a descendant of one of Frank Sprague's Multiple-Unit control systems. And that third rail has a very strong power system behind it. There's a story told about a late-night construction project: One track was out of service for maintenance, while the trains were still running on the adjacent track. It was hot and sweaty down below the streets of New York; a liner bar (forged steel, about four feet long) slipped from the grasp of a worker, and went flying. There was a blinding flash and the sound of a very large electric arc. The end of the bar was vaporized, but the third rail didn't trip off-line.

All of the cars on the IND were indeed powered, but the older IRT Lo-V cars (which is what they're using for the Boardwalk Empire promo train) did originally have some trailers in the fleet. One trailer was preserved and is normally on display at the NY Transit Museum; they have run it on rare occasions with their four Lo-V motor cars but generally it's just the motor cars that they use for public trips.