The Train of Many Colors (also referred to as TOMC) is one of the New York Transit Museum's nostalgia trains used for A Division excursions, which is made up of cars that were formerly used on Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) lines. The name comes from the fact that the cars are painted in many varying schemes from different eras.[1]
During the 2004 Subway Centennial, some of the cars were used for regular service on the 42nd Street Shuttle route. In addition, the cars may be used to commemorate a special occasion (e.g. the opening of CitiField in Queens).
Some of the cars are housed in the New York Transit Museum when not used for excursions (R12, R15, R17, and R33S).[2] Others are stored at the 207th Street Yard.
There are 19 cars painted in various schemes, as listed below.
| Model | Builder | Car numbers | Livery | Era used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R12 | American Car & Foundry | 5760 | Two tone gray with orange stripes | Original, when new |
| R15 | 6239 | Maroon with tan stripe | Original, when new | |
| R17 | St. Louis Car Company | 6609 | Maroon | Original, when new |
| R33 | 9010–9011 9206–9207 | Silver with blue stripe ("Platinum Mist") | 1971–early 1980s | |
| 9016–9017 | Watermelon/"Tartar" red with yellow handlebars | Original, when new | ||
| 9068–9069 | Kale green ("Green Hornet")[3] | 1985–1988 | ||
| R33S | 9306–9308[4] | 1964 World's Fair aqua blue and white ("Bluebird") | Original, when new | |
| 9310 | Tuscan/"Gunn" red with silver roof ("Redbird") | 1984 to retirement | ||
| R36 | 9542–9543 9586–9587 | 1984 to retirement |