The Oldest Subway Cars In The Country Are In NYC & Metropolis.

Metropolis, BR/Manhattan, NY May 7th 2016.

Metropolis's ME-PCC or "Type-D" cars just turned 52 years old.

Sometimes, age isn't factor. Pushing in their 50s, some of America's oldest subway cars are now facing replacement. In New York City, the "R32" fleet hold such title. Built in 1964 by The Budd Company, It was one of the first stainless steel subway cars in NYC to be mass produced. (There were a few Stainless Trains from the 30s and 40s who were experiments and didn't last long on NYC's rough environment.) Out of 600 cars only 212 are left running on the C, J, and Z Lines of NYC. The reason why 2/3 of the fleet retired was because the R32 were suppose to be retired in 2009 when the newer "R160" subway cars were place in service but new rail cars from 1972 were beginning to rot so instead they were junked but only after 2/3 of the R32 fleet was sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic.

One of the 212 remaining "R32" cars on the Z Train in Brooklyn. Also turned 52 this year. 

Metropolis Transit actually has a similar story about their 52 year old ME-PCC cars. While Metropolis Elevated materialized in 1986, the rail cars were also born in 1964 but by the St. Louis Car Company.  They began life on Maine's only rapid transit system, the Sea Bright City Municipal Metro replace the 1920s built wooden rail cars. They came with third rail abilities as well as trolley poles for their Hopeland Line who used overhead wires similar to Metropolis. They only last til 1982 when Sea Bright City opted for Stainless Steel cars and converting the rest of the system to 3rd Rail. So this left the cars up for grabs because they were too young to scrap (Only 18 years old at the time.) Metropolis Transit purchased all 150 of them for the start up of Metropolis Elevated in 1986. They were rebuilt, fitted with pantograph for better wire to train contact since Metropolis opted for overhead wires. In 2005, 3/4 of the fleet was retired when newer Bombardier cars came in. Today only 42 are left in service running on the 39 and 79 lines. They are being replaced by Kawasaki "ME-III" Trains in 2018.

52-Year-Old Trains are the mainstay of the 39 Train!

Both the R32 and ME-PCC cars will see retirements in the coming future but they will live on with the many rail buffs who cherish them. Bridgerissa Traction Museum in Great Harbor, has actually saved one pair with another pair on hold that still in service. Metropolis Transit is also planning on running a retirement run system wide. It current not know what the Metropolitan Transportation Authority of New York City plans to do with their last R32 subway cars but they do host annual nostalgia trains on their M Line during the holidays and selectively run other older cars on other fantrips so  their maybe a special for the last R32 subway cars. Many railfans wish to see them restore to their 1964 look which is VERY similar to the ME-PCCs.

R32 Subway cars at Lorimer St in Brooklyn, NY on the J Line.