A Visual Timeline of NYC's Most Nostalgic Subway Cars

2019 marked the 60th anniversary of the introduction of the R-26 subway cars. Introduced at varying times and in various colors, they collectively came to be known as “Redbirds” because of the color they were painted from 1984 until the fleet’s retirement in 2003. Boxy and industrial-looking, the cars that became the Redbirds arrived in New York City at a time of great transition. In service for more than four decades, they captured the imaginations of millions, became as iconic as the subway token, and still evoke expressions of admiration to this day.

koolgirlposse’s concept behind the exhibition design was to create a visual color-coded timeline by decade, complemented by large mural walls that visitors could walk through to get a sense of the scale and variety of R-26 subway cars in use in NYC's subway. Square, industrial typefaces were used to mimic the blockiness of the cars and the typography used on the car numbers themselves. The spatial layout has been designed to create a porous space, inviting visitors to weave through the space, while accommodating the Transit Museum's need for an enclosed zone for school groups to gather.