Interesting question. This is not the answer you are looking for but. In the mid fifties Ken Kidder was importing many brass models from Japan. He was going to have subway cars made. I frequented Ma Websters Model train Shop on 45th Street in Manhattan. There on display was an O Scale Kidder brass Boston Subway car. ( not that a 14 year old kid could afford anyway). It was not for sale and was a display piece. They told me they were waiting for an IRT R-17. I went to the shop often with my friend Vern buying wood and supplies for our scratch building of subway and el cars. Alas, the R-17's never did come and after a few years the Boston cars were gone never to be seen again. Bill Clouser built an O scale R-17 and an O Scale H&M K car under contract with the St. Louis Car Company. The K car was a cutaway model showing the interior. The R-7 was a full car. They were on display in the old Hudson Terminal in Manhattan. No one knows what happened to th K Car but the R-17 model wound up in a resturant in Manhattan. It still was on display last time I checked about 8 years ago. I should go back.
