The New York City Subway’s R32 car class was nicknamed the “Brightliners.”
The R32s were built by the Budd Company and introduced beginning in 1964. Their stainless-steel bodies gave them a bright, reflective appearance unlike many earlier cars, leading to the widely used nickname. The cars were assigned to the BMT and IND divisions and became a familiar part of subway service for generations.
The class was also notable technologically. It was the first New York City subway fleet to use stainless-steel construction throughout its car bodies, reducing corrosion and helping extend service life. Many R32s remained in operation far longer than originally expected.
The R32 nickname is sometimes confused with the “Brightliner” branding used in other transportation contexts. Within New York’s subway history, it refers specifically to the stainless-steel R32 fleet. The last R32 cars were retired in 2020 after more than five decades of service.