wjm@whuxl.UUCP (MITCHELL) (07/09/84)
IRT cars are brought in the same way as BMT and IND cars - All NYC subway lines are standard gauge and have the 600 VDC third rail in the same location, so the same trucks and third rail shoes can be used. Since BMT and IND cars (since these two divisions operate jointly, they share equipment) are longer and wider than IRT cars (60 or 75 ft long vs 51 ft and 10 ft wide vs 9 ft) they won't fit through the IRT's tunnels, but the IRT cars will fit through BMT tunnels. There is a connection between the IRT and BMT at the Queensborough Plaza station for the IRT's Flushing Line and another connection at the 207th St shops for the rest of the system (in fact, the Flushing Line is not connected directly to the rest of the IRT). Bill Mitchell (whuxl!wjm)