This picture above, was taken from the archives of the New York Transit Museum. It was shot in 1942 as part of the xxx collection. According to the archive, you are looking at a BMT West End (Local or Express?) train consisting of Triplex (Type D) cars at the large Stillwell Avenue - Coney Island terminal in Brooklyn. You are facing north and the north end (not canopied) part of the station. You also see a large gas holder that lasted until the 1970's? This large gas tank is on the banks of the Coney Island Creek and I believe that many toxins are deposited at that site. The Triplex was one of my favorite types of subway equipment. Three sections, connected by an articulated unist and with unique signage system. The Triplex was one of the first BMT cars to have front lighted destination signs and lighted signs on the side. They had a unique back lighted glass plates that stated "VIA BRIDGE" or "VIA TUNNEL". The triplex was associated for many years with the Sea Beach Express but it may have appeared on some of the other southern division lines. It even appeared in 1964 for a few days on the Culver Shuttle with the number 5 in front.. They made interesting train noises similar but not the same as the R1-9 series. I associate them with the SEA BEACH EXPRESS runs on Fourth Avenue on the express track in Brooklyn while passing the parade of sun lighted and dark sections of the tunnel. Remember from an earlier post, the medians on Fourth Avenue Brooklyn were wide and had grills that let in a lot of sunlight. The Triplexes also sported, as I remember a unique white faced route sign that when lighted, showed the route in white print even though the sign was all white. When this sign was not illuminated, you could not make out the route. Memories....
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