NYCT Subway | Kawasaki R143 Subway Car Review

R-143 is the designation given to the first order of the "New Technology" IND/BMT division cars. The contract was awarded to Kawasaki Heavy Industries of Japan. These cars are very similar to the Kawasaki R-142 in terms of interior appointments, door motors, strip maps, grab bars, etc., and they incorporate much of the R-110 New Technology Test Program‎'s advanced features. The primary order included 100 cars with an option order of an additional 112 cars, and they began to arrive in late 2001. The first train of R-143 cars, 8101-8108, went into passenger service for its thirty day acceptance test on Tuesday, December 4, 2001. The order was complete by April 2003. The cars were built at an average cost of about $1.5 million per car. The fleet numbers for these cars are units, 8101–8312. The R-143 cars are being delivered in 4-car sets to be used on the BMT Eastern Division, specifically the "L" line, which underwent a resignalling project to allow use of the R-143's CBTC capability. #nycsubway

When I was four years old and a recent immigrant from Haiti, these sets were the first B Division train models I rode on. I was riding these on the L train line, which was my first BMT ride. The infrastructure astounded me when I rode these sets. I was captivated by its propulsion technology, which reminded me of the R142 subway model series on the 4 train lines. However, the announcements sound rudimentary in comparison to what I heard on those A Division subway lines. This was during my two-year stay in Canarsie. When we moved to East Flatbush in 2009, my chances of seeing the Canarsie Line and the R143s decreased. By 2011, as I began to learn more about the public transportation system, these R143s were still my favorite models until today. One thing missing from the history is that one set of the R143 was tested with the Siemens propulsion system in 2004. Test:    • R143 Siemens Test Train in 2004  


This review is also dedicated to Matthew R. Lawrence ( @matthewrichardlawrence3526 ) . Today is his birthday, and please wish him an extraordinary one.

Credits to the pictures and videos taken by the respective owners,

1. @DJHammersTrains
2. @Caitsith810
3. @TechandTransit
4. @BusfannerChris
5. @ShadowWolvesProductions
6. Etc...

Songs:
1. Barikad Crew - Ayiti Pi Red(Intro)
2. Destiny Child's - Dangerous In Love(Background Speech)
3. Jennifer Lopez - If You Had My Love(Outro)