Springfield Subway Car Mystery Solved

[Metro Jacksonville]

Springfield Subway Car Mystery Solved



In February of 2008, Metro Jacksonville discovered a http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2008-feb-historic-nyc-subway-car-found-in-springfield">NYC subway car in the Springfield, just north of Downtown Jacksonville. It was unclear how or why it was brought to Jacksonville, until now...

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jan-springfield-subway-car-mystery-solved

[BridgeTroll]

Wow!  How did you come across this info Ock?

[Sigma]

Do you know where the "club" was located?

[Ocklawaha]

Not mine y'all, this is Hap and Ron's baby, great stuff though.  Apparently it didn't stay in Orange Park very long... (months?) because I first came across it where it sits today around 1982-4.

OCKLAWAHA

[fsujax]

OCK, I wonder if they would be willing to sell it?

[Bridges]

I'm Mark's son.  It is my understanding that the plan for the subway car was for it to be made into a transit museum.  It was to be located where Lakeside Estates currently is on Moody Rd in Orange Park.  The Juniors woman club was going to renovate it and they thought the location would be great for students of the nearby elementary and pre-schools.  As the article states, neighbors raised all kind of fits about it and even started getting some lawyers involved.  It's sad, cause it was a great idea. 

My parents had to move it back to the property that they owned in downtown and it remained there when they eventually sold the property. 

[shelley]

Wow, it's all coming back now. I cut my disco feet at Nichols Alley. Also celebrated my 18th birthday there (you were legal to drink at 18 back then). I had forgotten about the subway car.

BTW Sigma, the club was located at Beach and University in the shopping plaza next to K-Mart. I think it had been a bowling alley prior, still had game room in the rear.

[Jason]

Fantastic story!

[Cliffs_Daughter]

This is so cool!   I'm very interested in playing a part to purchase/relocate it in the future.

[BridgeTroll]

Thanks for your input Bridges and shelly!  Any more tidbits you can add are appreciated!

Welcome to MetroJax BTW!!

[lbrickel40]

Wow, I hadnt thought of Nichols Alley for years, I have such great memories of that place, only if I had just turned 18 and so afterwards it went out of business...
Great Memories of the disco era that is for sure

[iloveionia]

I have some GREAT pictures of this car at home.  I'll see if I can dig them up and post a few pictures.  I took them standing on my car in the middle of the street. 

[YellowBluffRoad]

Great photos and information! Only a few of these ever left New York, apparently. This one's even listed in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnines

[Cliffs_Daughter]

'Arnines'

I learn something new everyday on these forums.

[BridgeTroll]

Sad...

The other cars are located at the following locations:

R1: 175 is at Seashore Trolley Museum.
R4: 800 is at Seashore Trolley Museum, 825 is at the Trolley Museum of New York.
R6: 978 is at Golden's Deli, in the Staten Island Mall, 983 is on private property in Jacksonville, FL. It is being used as a storage shed. 1144 is at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, England, United Kingdom.
R7: 1440 is at Seashore Trolley Museum.
R9: 1689 is at Shore Line Trolley Museum and is in operable condition, and 1801 is at New York State Museum.