In the 110-year history of the New York City subway system, little has changed in the design of the trains and their cars. They are still basically rectangular-shaped boxes with doors, windows and chairs.
“They’re a friggin’ bore,” said subway historian James Greller. “Subway car design in the city of New York has not really matured to the rest of the world.”
Efforts to make radical changes have been derided, flopped or never made it from the prototype stage into mass use — as with the modern Second Avenue Subway cars built in 1949.
Some conveniences — such as air conditioning — have been introduced to make the ride more bearable. And the transition to stainless steel made trains less expensive.
At the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, nestled within a 1936 subway stop, visitors can see many of the old cars from throughout the years as pictured in this list.
WOODEN BODIES
Before the subway, there was the “el” — the elevated railway — that served to whisk New Yorkers around the city, with the first line built in 1868. Although initially served by steam engines that rained ash and cinder on pedestrians below, electrified trains allowed the operators of the lines to introduce cleaner locomotives like this one built in 1907. The car was built with wood covering steel underframes. Doors were opened manually by a conductor who also had a bell to notify the motorman when passengers had boarded. (Credit: Black Paw Photo)
Before the subway, there was the “el” — the elevated railway — that served to whisk New Yorkers around the city, with the first line built in 1868. Although initially served by steam engines that rained ash and cinder on pedestrians below, electrified trains allowed the operators of the lines to introduce cleaner locomotives like this one built in 1907. The car was built with wood covering steel underframes. Doors were opened manually by a conductor who also had a bell to notify the motorman when passengers had boarded. (Credit: Black Paw Photo)
ARTICULATED CARS
With subways reaching capacity in the 1920s, a novel solution was introduced in the design of cars: an articulated subway known as the Triplex. The design called for connected cars with no doors separating them to allow for more space and to give passengers the opportunity to move about. In service between 1928 and 1965, the Triplex cars could seat 160 and were 137-feet long. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority proposed bringing back articulated trains to “maximize carrying capacity” in its 20-year plan released in 2013. (Credit: Black Paw Photo )
With subways reaching capacity in the 1920s, a novel solution was introduced in the design of cars: an articulated subway known as the Triplex. The design called for connected cars with no doors separating them to allow for more space and to give passengers the opportunity to move about. In service between 1928 and 1965, the Triplex cars could seat 160 and were 137-feet long. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority proposed bringing back articulated trains to “maximize carrying capacity” in its 20-year plan released in 2013. (Credit: Black Paw Photo )
THE MILLION-DOLLAR TRAIN
Built in 1949 to serve the Second Avenue Subway, the modern R-11 car was visionary, packed with cutting-edge technology like ultraviolet germ-killing lamps and an electrostatic air filtration system meant to wipe out airborne disease. These features contributed to the eye-opening price tag: At $100,000 for each car, the R-11 became known as “the Million Dollar Train.” Only 10 trial cars were built. (Credit: Black Paw Photo )
Built in 1949 to serve the Second Avenue Subway, the modern R-11 car was visionary, packed with cutting-edge technology like ultraviolet germ-killing lamps and an electrostatic air filtration system meant to wipe out airborne disease. These features contributed to the eye-opening price tag: At $100,000 for each car, the R-11 became known as “the Million Dollar Train.” Only 10 trial cars were built. (Credit: Black Paw Photo )
SPECIAL EVENT CARS
Occasionally, special trains take over the rails for celebrations or to commemorate events. There was, for instance, a train with cars in pinstripes to mark the 2000 Subway Series. For the 1964-1965 World’s Fair, the New York Transit Authority ran “Bluebirds,” trains painted powder-blue and off-white, seen here from the inside. (Credit: Black Paw Photo )
Occasionally, special trains take over the rails for celebrations or to commemorate events. There was, for instance, a train with cars in pinstripes to mark the 2000 Subway Series. For the 1964-1965 World’s Fair, the New York Transit Authority ran “Bluebirds,” trains painted powder-blue and off-white, seen here from the inside. (Credit: Black Paw Photo )
STAINLESS STEEL CARS
In 1964, the Transit Authority ordered 600 “Brightliners” — stainless steel cars known by the R-32 model number. Officials at the time argued that the city would save money over the long-term because the use of the sturdy but lighter metal reduced the overall weight of each car and lowered the amount of electrical power to move them. The cars have also proven longer-lasting than any other design. The R-32, while far from attractive, is still used today on the C line, and will be until 2017. (Credit: David Pirmann)
In 1964, the Transit Authority ordered 600 “Brightliners” — stainless steel cars known by the R-32 model number. Officials at the time argued that the city would save money over the long-term because the use of the sturdy but lighter metal reduced the overall weight of each car and lowered the amount of electrical power to move them. The cars have also proven longer-lasting than any other design. The R-32, while far from attractive, is still used today on the C line, and will be until 2017. (Credit: David Pirmann)
PITTSFIELD — Macaroni necklaces are out. “Pasta pods” are in.
Seventh-grade science students at Herberg Middle School have embraced the challenge to create race cars out of pasta, wooden skewers and hot glue in the name of physics, and perhaps a little classroom competition.
The project has been presented at state and national STEM educators’ conferences, and its development is credited to Julie Angle, an assistant professor and science education coordinator for the School of Teaching and Curriculum Leadership at Oklahoma State University. The project looks at the physics behind the motion of stock cars and applies them to a model scale, using inexpensive materials.
“I tell the kids that instead of real cars and tracks, we’ll use pasta and ramps that I’ve built to see how it works,” said Herberg seventh-grade science teacher Ellen Lantz, who co-teaches the project with colleague Rob Geller. They wear NASCAR T-shirts for the occasion.
They’ve also presented the project, with Angle’s permission, at a state science educators conference.
Recently in the Herberg classrooms, students drafted designs on graph paper, wrote out their theories on how their designs would demonstrate velocity, and then, with safety goggles, glue and noodles, began building their pasta pods.
“It helps you learn in a fun way, instead of just taking notes,” said seventh-grader Zack Zerbato, who worked with Hunter Potash in Lantz’s class to create a triangle-shaped nose for their pasta-filled racer they called “The Bird.”
Next door, Ava Bressette held up a rectangular vehicle with three wheel-and-axle sets. She and group mates Perla Rojas and Haily Sumner painted it light lavender and called it “The Bug.”
“If we have time, can I BeDazzle it,” she asked Geller, meaning she wanted to use a BeDazzler machine to add plastic gems to it.
“It gives you more a chance to show your creativity,” Rojas said.
“It also keeps kids engaged,” Bressette said.
“They should have [these kinds of projects] more often,” Sumner said.
Lantz and Geller said they try to teach science using multiple avenues. On one hand, said Geller, students will have to write a multi-page lab report, complete with a cover; keep a data table of all the trial runs conducted in class; create a bar graph of results and a summary of findings. They also watch YouTube videos on Newton’s three laws of motion.
“I’m a visual learner, and I tell the students that from the get-go,” said Lantz, noting how most students can’t absorb concepts by rote alone.
Next week, the top three teams from each classroom whose pasta pods traveled the farthest will compete against each others. Winners will get a surprise prize, and all sealed, leftover pasta will be donated to a local food pantry.
truTV Searches for America’s Next Great Car Designer
In New Series Motor City Masters, Hosted by Brooke Burns
Competition Show produced by Bunim/Murray Productions (Project Runway)
Being Produced in Collaboration with Chevrolet
Fasten your seatbelt. The search is on for America’s next great car designer as truTV and Chevrolet team up on the brand new competition series Motor City Masters. Hosted by Brooke Burns (Baywatch, Melrose Place), Motor City Masters will pit 10 designersagainst each other to test their limits of design expertise and creativity. truTV has ordered 10 episodes of the Motor City Masters, which is being produced for the network by Bunim/Murray Productions (Project Runway, Total Divas) and The Story Lab, a division of Aegis Media. Motor City Masters is set to go into production the week of Feb. 24 in Los Angeles, with plans to premiere on truTV this summer. The exciting season finale will then take place in the Motor City itself – Detroit – and will provide one final show-stopping challenge.
“As truTV’s first venture into the reality-competition genre, Motor City Masters marks an important step in our strategy to diversify truTV’s programing slate and develop the truTV brand,” said Chris Linn, president, head of programming for truTV. “Cars are a huge part of American pop culture, and people are more interested than ever in how design meets function to impact our everyday lives. We are extremely proud to be working with such an iconic American brand as Chevrolet, as well as the top-notch team at Bunim/Murray Productions.”
“This is going to be a really fun competition for the designers,” said Jonathan Murray, chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions. “The challenges they face will push them to really think about what the American public wants in a car and how the car can better serve their needs.”
“Creating vehicles with great design and performance that live up to the Chevrolet name will be a challenge for the participants,” said Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer, Global Chevrolet. “We look forward to seeing the top two designers here in Detroit in a few weeks for the finale.”
Motor City Masters will bring together 10 experienced designers, with various specialties and backgrounds, all of whom share a passion for car design. In each episode, the contestants will have the ambitious task of creating new, fully functional (though not street legal) concept cars based on a theme that will showcase the each competitor’s unique personality.
Challenges on Motor City Masters will explore various aspects of design, inside and out. The designs will be judged by Jean Jennings, president and editor in chief of Automobile Magazine and internationally renowned car designerHarald Belker. They will be joined each week by a special celebrity guest judge. Competitors will be judged on their creativity, execution and forward-thinking design, among other criteria. The field will narrow with each elimination challenge until only the top two designers remain. These two competitors will then Face Off in front of Chevrolet’s world-class car design experts, after which only one designer will be crowned “The Next Great Car Designer.” The winner of Motor City Masters will receive a brand new 2014 Camaro Z28 and $100,000 cash. The winner will also be named a Brand Ambassador, with the opportunity to showcase his/her designs at major auto show exhibitions.
Executive producers for Motor City Masters include Jonathan Murray, Gil Goldschein, Rick de Oliveira and Scott Freeman from Bunim/Murray Productions, as well as Lisa Eisenpresser from The Story Lab. Kirk Durham from Bunim/Murray Productions serves as co-executive producer.
GENEVA: European carmakers are putting their longest market slump in the rearview mirror, shifting from survival to revival as the Geneva Auto Show kicked off with dozens of car premiers, particularly for small models packed with premium features.
Analysts are projecting growth in new car sales in Europe at anywhere from 2 percent to 4 percent in 2014, the first year of gains since 2007, when sales reached an all-time high of 16 million before getting hit by the financial crisis. But consumer appetite will remain mild, analysts say, until Europe can get economies churning again and unemployment rates down, the only cure to lagging consumer confidence.
“We don’t see a fast recovery,” said Falk Frey, a senior vice president at Moody’s analyst services in Frankfurt. Moody’s forecasts a 2 percent growth in European car sales this year to just over 13 million, but underlines that will still be 20 percent, or 3 million units, below the 2007 peak.
Some predict the European market will never hit that high again, meaning there will continue to be fierce competition for driver loyalties.
One Geneva Auto Show buzzword is small. Mass carmakers are adding premium design features to their city cars as they fight back against premium carmakers’ moving in on their small car territory.
Small SUVs continue to be a trend. “Everyone who hasn’t come to that party will be coming,” IHS auto analyst Tim Urquhart said.
Not that the sports car segment will allow city cars to steal their thunder. Lamborghini, McLaren and Ferrari all have something new to show – and the historic Italian carmaker Ermini Seiottosei is back after a decades-long hiatus.
The Geneva show opened its doors to journalists Tuesday, will begin allowing the public in Thursday. It runs through March 16.
SMALL SUVSThe market for small SUVs is growing across the globe with young people and downsizing baby-boomers alike attracted to the high drive position, big cargo area and maneuverability. Jeep offered its new Renegade and Citroen rolled out the C4 Cactus – a one-time funky concept car that has been given a shot at the roads while promising to revolutionize car interiors.
PLUG-IN HYBRIDS
Plug-in hybrids are another trend in Geneva.
A regular hybrid pairs a conventional engine with an electric one to increase energy efficiency. Plug-in versions have batteries that don’t rely solely on the combustion engines to recharge, but can also be plugged into the power supply – giving the car the ability to make short trips using only its electric power. Volkswagen unveiled the Golf GTE, with a range of nearly 50 kilometers in all-electric mode for a theoretical driving range of 939 kilometers when the full engine is in use.
SUPER SPORTSCARSAutomobili Lamborghini SpA, a division of Volkswagen AG, unveiled its Huracan LP 610-4, the successor to its most-successful car ever, the Gallardo, which stopped production in November after a decade. The carbon fiber and aluminum Huracan, which means hurricane and also refers to a bull, the Lamborghini logo, comes with a new gasoline injection system that provides more power with less consumption. McLaren launched the new 650S, which it boasts is faster than the legendary F1 road car from the 1990s. Ferrari rolled out the V8 California T convertible, marking the return of turbocharged powertrains. Ermini Seittosei also brought out a unique numbered car.
SPIFFY SMALL CARSEuropean automakers are taking their bread-and-butter small cars to a new level, focusing on fun and styling, not just economy. It’s a road already traveled by the Fiat 500, which is offering an updated version. A joint venture between PSA Peugeot Citroen and Toyota resulted in a trio of small-car premiers on the same platform from the same factory that are helping the automakers achieve better economies of scale: Peugeot 108, Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo. The Renault Twingo also got an update, going for an edgier look.
Fasten your seatbelt. The search is on for America’s next great
car designer as truTV and Chevrolet team up on the brand new competition series
“Motor City Masters.” Hosted by actress Brooke Burns, “Motor City Masters” will
pit 10 designers against each other to test their limits of design expertise
and creativity.
truTV has ordered 10 episodes of “Motor City Masters,” which is
being produced for the network by Bunim/Murray Productions (“Project Runway”)
and The Story Lab, a division of Aegis Media. “Motor City Masters” was
scheduled to begin production this week in Los Angeles, with plans to premiere
on truTV this summer. The season finale will take place in the Motor City
itself – Detroit – and will provide one final show-stopping challenge.
“As truTV’s first venture into the reality-competition
genre, ‘Motor City Masters’ marks an important step in our strategy to
diversify truTV’s programing slate and develop the truTV brand,” said
Chris Linn, president, head of programming for truTV. “Cars are a huge
part of American pop culture, and people are more interested than ever in how
design meets function to impact our everyday lives. We are extremely proud to
be working with such an iconic American brand as Chevrolet, as well as the
top-notch team at Bunim/Murray Productions.”
“This is going to be a really fun competition for the
designers,” said Jonathan Murray, chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions.
“The challenges they face will push them to really think about what the
American public wants in a car and how the car can better serve their
needs.”
“Motor City Masters” will bring together 10 experienced
designers, with various specialties and backgrounds, all of whom share a
passion for car design. In each episode, the contestants will have the
ambitious task of creating new, fully functional (though not street legal)
concept cars based on a theme that will showcase the each competitor’s unique
personality.
Challenges on “Motor City Masters” will explore various aspects
of design, inside and out. The designs will be judged by Jean Jennings,
president and editor in chief of Automobile Magazine and internationally
renowned car designer Harald Belker. They will be joined each week by a special
celebrity guest judge. Competitors will be judged on their creativity,
execution and forward-thinking design, among other criteria. The field will
narrow with each elimination challenge until only the top two designers remain.
These two competitors will then face off in front of Chevrolet’s world-class
car design experts, after which only one designer will be crowned “The
Next Great Car Designer.”
The winner of “Motor City Masters” will receive a brand new 2014
Camaro Z28 and $100,000 cash. The winner will also be named a brand ambassador,
with the opportunity to showcase his/her designs at major auto show
exhibitions.
US cablenet TruTV has commissioned a 10-part unscripted series from Bunim/Murray Productions that sees car designers competing against each other to win US$100,000.
Motor City Masters is being coproduced with Aegis Media’s The Story Lab in association with auto manufacturer Chevrolet and requires experienced car designers to come up with new ideas.
Designs are then presented to an expert panel, which votes off one contestant each week, with the winner claiming the cash prize, a vehicle and the chance to exhibit at leading car shows.
The show has been slated for broadcast during the summer and will be exec produced by Bunim/Murray’s Jonathan Murray, Gil Goldschein, Rick de Oliveira and Scott Freeman, along with The Story Lab’s Lisa Eisenpresser. Bunim/Murray is part of Banijay Group.
Known as the ‘Hong Car’, Noh Hong Chul’s vehicle is definitely different than what you usually see on the road. He tweeted on February 26, “As always without change IF IT’S NOT FUN, WHY DO IT? I hope life gets sweeter. The pink candy I desire. The heart that will call my fated half one day. The ‘Hong Car’ changed its clothes. I like it. Let’s go. Run. Run,” along with the photo of himself driving above.
He’s previously wrapped the ‘Hong Car’ in animal print as well as with an image of his own face.
What do you think of Noh Hong Chul’s new pink design?
There may be no greater design crime today than putting a
touchscreen in an automobile. It’s audaciously stupid. The simple
fact is that screens demand our eyeballs in a way that knobs,
dials, and buttons do not. Choosing the former over the latter
means opting for superficial sophistication and whiz-bang appeal
over, you know, letting drivers pay attention to what’s in front of
their 3,000 pound battering ram.
If car companies are going to insist on using touchscreens,
though, the least they can do is take a close look at this
concept by designer Matthaeus Krenn. It’s a simple touch
interface that you can operate completely eyes-free.
In Krenn’s concept, the touchscreen isn’t plotted out into
arbitrary menus and buttons. You can touch it anywhere; the various
controls depend on how you touch it.
Dragging upwards with two fingers turns up the volume; dragging
up with three changes the audio source. Four fingers controls
temperature; five for airflow. Each has a unique sensitivity based
on its function and can be triggered starting anywhere on the touch
surface. Moving up or down with your fingers spread a bit wider
offers an additional set of controls. All eight of these can be
remapped to the driver’s preference.
Granted, it may not be as instantly intuitive as a dial labeled
“volume” — real or otherwise. Krenn, formerly a product designer
at Cue, a startup snapped up by Apple last year for a reported $40 million (£23.9 million), admits as much.
“There are a lot of areas where things could be improved, and yes,
educating the user about the capabilities of the system is an
important one that I did not spend a lot of time on,” he says.
Still, it’s a smart approach. At its heart, Krenn’s concept
reflects the greater trend we’ve been seeing in UI design for
touchscreens: a move away from skeuomorphic interfaces. The problem
with existing automotive touchscreens is a slavish adherence to the
physical buttons that came before them. With no real tactile
properties, we have to hunt for these virtual knobs anew every
time. Krenn’s solution, by contrast, feels entirely native to the
touchscreen, and demands much less of drivers as a result.
For his part, Krenn doesn’t have a strong preference for buttons
or touchscreens in the car. He just insists they be well
thought-out. “New controls can open doors for exciting innovation,”
he says. “But they also come with their new challenges that need to
be respected and overcome.”
Matt Krenn’s clever touchscreen UI would let drivers operate it while keeping their eyes on the road. Image: Matt Krenn
There may be no greater design crime today than putting a touchscreen in an automobile. It’s audaciously stupid. The simple fact is that screens demand our eyeballs in a way that knobs, dials, and buttons do not. Choosing the former over the latter means opting for superficial sophistication and whiz-bang appeal over, you know, letting drivers pay attention to what’s in front of their 3,000 pound battering ram.
If car companies are going to insist on using touchscreens, though, the least they can do is take a close look at this concept by designer Matthaeus Krenn. It’s a simple touch interface that you can operate completely eyes-free.
In Krenn’s concept, the touchscreen isn’t plotted out into arbitrary menus and buttons. You can touch it anywhere; the various controls depend on how you touch it.
Dragging upwards with two fingers turns up the volume; dragging up with three changes the audio source. Four fingers controls temperature; five for airflow. Each has a unique sensitivity based on its function and can be triggered starting anywhere on the touch surface. Moving up or down with your fingers spread a bit wider offers an additional set of controls. All eight of these can be remapped to the driver’s preference.
Granted, it may not be as instantly intuitive as a dial labeled “volume”–real or otherwise. Krenn, formerly a product designer at Cue, a startup snapped up by Apple last year for a reported $40 million, admits as much. “There are a lot of areas where things could be improved, and yes, educating the user about the capabilities of the system is an important one that I did not spend a lot of time on,” he says.
Still, it’s a smart approach. At its heart, Krenn’s concept reflects the greater trend we’ve been seeing in UI design for touchscreens: a move away from skeuomorphic interfaces. The problem with existing automotive touchscreens is a slavish adherence to the physical buttons that came before them. With no real tactile properties, we have to hunt for these virtual knobs anew every time. Krenn’s solution, by contrast, feels entirely native to the touchscreen, and demands much less of drivers as a result.
For his part, Krenn doesn’t have a strong preference for buttons or touchscreens in the car. He just insists they be well thought-out. “New controls can open doors for exciting innovation,” he says. “But they also come with their new challenges that need to be respected and overcome.”
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