MTA: New York City Transit 7371

This car is one of 450 cars built under contract R-22 for the IRT division of New York’s subway system. The R-22 cars were dependable, fast and good riding. Car #7371 was originally painted dark green but spent most of its service life in a silver and blue scheme. After retirement from regular service in 1987, car #7371 received a yellow paint scheme and continued in subway maintenance service until 2003. The New York City R-22 cars were identical to 250 cars built under contract R-21 in 1956-57. Car #7371 carried 44 passengers in molded fiberglass seats along with a larger number of standees. The most common route for the R-22s was the IRT Broadway – Seventh Avenue line. This car was part of the train hijacked by criminals in the 1974 movie, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. The name of the movie, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, refers to the Transit Authority’s system of designating specific trains by their starting terminal and starting time. So, the train in the movie started from the Pelham station in the Bronx at 1:23 PM. After ending operation in maintenance service, car #7371 spent a year at the New York Transit Museum and participated the New York City subway’s centennial celebration in 2004. The Seashore Trolley Museum acquired this car in 2005.