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    1. Rail
    2. Vehicles

    Brookville repurposing NYCT passenger cars to pump train specialty vehicles for emergency use in underground subway system

    Nov. 16, 2021
    Each pump and generator car set will include one pump car and one generator car to be used in consist with NYCT’s existing hose and reach cars to pump water out of the subway system tunnels during inclement weather.
    Related To: Brookville Equipment Corporation

    A federally-funded contract was awarded to Brookville Equipment Corporation (BROOKVILLE) for the conversion of a total of four retired R110A test fleet passenger railcars into two pump trains to be used for flooding mitigation in New York City Transit’s (NYCT) underground subway system. 

    Each pump and generator car set will include one pump car and one generator car to be used in consist with NYCT’s existing hose and reach cars to pump water out of the subway system tunnels during special periods of emergency response, including following hurricanes and periods of unusually heavy rainfall.  

    “The pump and generator cars put BROOKVILLE in a unique position to leverage its history in both transit and underground mining and construction applications to provide this unique emergency use solution for NYCT,” said BROOKVILLE Vice President of Business Development Joel McNeil. “We look forward to synergizing this experience and partnering with our experienced supplier network to deliver a reliable, unique pumping solution that will serve NYCT’s subway system in the coming decades.” 

    Each pump car will feature a five-pump arrangement, including four inline submersible pumps and one horizontal pump to mitigate water in the subway tunnels. The submersible pumps will work to remove the water from the tunnel, while the horizontal pump will be utilized to pull water in especially low areas when the pump car itself is not submerged. Pumps will be individually controlled through independent motor starters. 

    Each generator car will utilize a proven, certified EPA Tier 4 diesel engine and connected alternator to power the pumps and auxiliary equipment. Each generator car will also contain an operator control panel, batteries for engine start, solar panels and automatic fire suppression system. 

    The cars will be connected via a 480V, three-phase trainline system. Additionally, BROOKVILLE will supply 480V trainline kits to retrofit the existing hose and reach cars in order to connect them to the converted pump and generator cars. All cars will also receive new 70-ton trucks designed for freight applications. 

    In addition to the pump and generator car sets, BROOKVILLE will provide testing, training, spare parts, and warranty support for the emergency use vehicles.