‘Last surviving’ Redbird NYC subway car hits auction block for $6.5K

The past relic of a dead breed can now be yours.

The Redbird product subway motor vehicle, which has stood guard outside Queens Borough Corridor due to the fact 2005, is now readily available for private invest in. 

“Brought to you by the persons who marketed a Staten Island Ferry to Pete Davidson, DCAS is now auctioning off the past surviving @MTA Redbird subway car,” the NYC Office of Citywide Administrative Expert services tweeted Thursday. “Opening bid: $6,500. Let’s go!”

The auction began on Wednesday nonetheless, in spite of the Redbird being arguably the most beloved practice to at any time operate on New York Town transit, not a soul has however placed a bid on motor vehicle #9075.

“Nothing symbolizes Queens, subway-smart, superior than a Redbird,” New York Transit Museum curator Jodi Shapiro advised the New York Periods of the 50-foot, 40-ton educate car breed, the final to have tear-shaped metallic hand grips — the namesake of the term “straphanger.” 

Built concerning 1959 and 1963, they transported readers from the 1964 World’s Reasonable in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. By the early 2000s, newer stainless-steel automobiles experienced changed the colorful fleet, and the past Redbird rode the tracks from Moments Square to Shea Stadium on Nov. 3, 2003, an working experience comparable to shedding a family members member, according to 1 heartbroken rider. 

Soon after getting decommissioned, 714 of the cars and trucks ended up subsequently sunk into the ocean to sort an synthetic reef. 

The car or truck on the auction block, however, was saved by previous Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, who asked for that a single of the birds be plopped outside the house her Kew Gardens workplace to be utilised as a vacationer information center, the Situations described. A $1 transaction with the MTA promptly took spot, and its classic vessel has sat there ever given that. 

The present Queens borough president, Donovan Richards, does not share Marshall’s affinity for the coach, and is now promoting it off and reimagining how the grassy knoll can best interact “building visitors and the bordering local community,” a spokesperson advised the Occasions.

The auction is set to finish on July 2 but “might extend” its bidding webpage notes.