BOERUM HILL — AS THE MTA moves forward on its next generation of subway cars, transit history enthusiasts can get a ride backward in time aboard a Brightliner.
The New York Transit Museum presents “Nostalgia Ride: Celebrating The Brightliners,” a ticketed and offsite event on Saturday, Nov. 8. Attendees will ride a stainless steel R32 subway train with a banner saying “Last of 600 new Brightliners for A Better Subway.”
These stainless-steel R32 trains served New York City Transit for nearly six decades, from 1964 to 2022. The Budd Company built these trains whose lighter steel construction made for a more efficient ride, while the shiny fluted exteriors earned them the nickname “Brightliners.” Originally expected to serve for 35 years, the R32s became one of the world’s longest-running subway car classes – and a nostalgic favorite among railfans and riders alike.
Two round-trip journeys will be offered: a morning ride starting at 10 a.m. and an afternoon ride at 2 p.m. Each will originate and conclude at at Manhattan’s 96 St.-Second Avenue station, with a scenic turnaround (but no opportunity to disembark) through the East New York Yard.
Tickets are available via the Transit Museum’s website. All minors must have adult accompaniment.
✰✰✰
