The R131 Front End Sign

The R131 (more commonly known as the R110B) is an experimental car which runs in sets of 3; 9 cars in a full-length train. When it was revealed when there was a 6th Avenue A bullet, and a Canarsie K bullet, it sparked a wave of curiosity in the subway community as to the remainder of the readings on the R131 Rollsign.

In May of 2004, three R131's were moved to Coney Island Yard, where Harry Beck photographed a cruicial piece of information regarding the mysteries of the R131 Rollsign. It's a label similar to one I found on an R42 some time ago. The translation of this information is the rollsign below.

Some noteable things on this rollsign are the addition of terminals on the A, C, and H lines. This is the only rollsign which has this feature. (I wonder why the new R68 signs didn't come with this.) This is also the first rollsign which includes the phrase, "via JFK Airport"