R160 - Complete with Self-Promotion

Last night Gothamist went to look at the new R160 subway car for New York City Transit, which features one major change - the FIND system (Flexible Information and Notice Display). FIND replaces single line maps that are currently on the R142 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and R143 (L) that have bulbs indicating stops along the line, instead using a display that can change depending on the location and line that the train is running on. The Times has a couple of quotes from people that viewed the car, including a 72 year-old retiree. The R160 is part of a $952 million, 660 car contract that will put a test train into the subway system next Summer with further delivery starting in 2007 if all goes well. The R160 is built to run on the IND/BMT lines (the lettered ones), but no announcement has been made as to which line yet.

NYC Subway.org on the R160, some more photos on Tien's site, and yesterday's post in the R160.

Photo of MTA ad stating the obvious by Tien Mao

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By tien mao in News on November 30, 2005 9:53 AM

Comments [rss]

Toby

I do think the MTA needs some better people writing their own ads. I hope it is done in house, because if they are paying an ad agency for those its a waste of money. Now I take it you haven't seen Transit Transit (WNYE, Saturdays at 3:30 PM) which is the MTA's monthly show, which is very low budget and all done by MTA employees.

Brightliner

Mollie, you need to check your sense of humor. The card is tongue-in-cheek.

dorothy

i always see those ads in old cars. i do think it's mta workers giving mta the finger.

anyway, i wish SOMEONE would do an article about the MTAs horrific copywriting. like, how illogical it is. "lean on your friend for that 5 spot he owes you, not the subway door." (who says 5 spot? how does one exclude the other?

"run the fifty yard dash on a saturday, not on the subway platform." who runs the 50 yard dash - ever? track and field participants? and what happens if they want to run on the subway platform ON A SATURDAY - and for 50 yards?

"new yorkers don't hold the door for nobody." UGH. yes we do. and we don't talk like that.

"ever see this message - insufficient funds?" yes, i've seen that at my bank. not at the turnstile - that says, insufficient fare. get it right MTA!

there's more. but i'll stop myself. the only one that's good is sooo bad it's good. that is, the stalinesque picture of a subway trash can where the print reads "every litter bit counts." ha!

Todd Cavallo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toddcavallo/68541607/

Dave H.

I saw one of these ads on an F train a few weeks ago and just assumed it was an MTA worker giving the passive aggressive finger to all passengers.

ed

I constantly see these ads posted in the older 3 and 1 trains I take to work, and NEVER in the newer 2s. For a while I almost thought it was some kind of weird joke, but I suspect it's just regular old incompetence.

Mollie

I would like to go on record as HATING that particular ad, because it so frankly acknowledges that incompetence is built into the system. And that nobody is really paying any attention to the ads until after they get put up (as has been demonstrated time and again).