The R62 is a New York City Subway car model built between 1983 and 1985 by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe, Japan, for the A Division.

[7] Five cars in the order (1587–1591) were built with bench seating after complaints by passengers upon delivery.

[7] The R62s also brought back the much more reliable WABCO RT-2 or SMEE braking system after an absence from subway equipment last used on their R42s in 1969.

WABCO also discontinued their trouble-prone RT-5 or P-wire braking systems after disastrous results, with continuous teething problems used during the 1970s period.

[7] Finally, in 1979, with the bus and train fleets in poor and decrepit shape, the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) looked into capital maintenance and bond acts to replace the oldest IRT cars (the R12s, R14s, R15s, and R17s) and to rebuild and refurbish newer (at the time) IRT cars (R21s and beyond).

The NYCTA did not want to award the large contract to a single builder (as it did in 1975–78 with the R46s, which were plagued by mechanical problems and cracks in the chassis).

This was the first time a foreign company was chosen to build cars for the New York City Subway, which was possible since no federal funding was involved.

[7][6][10] On August 28, 1991, a sleep-deprived and intoxicated motorman caused a southbound 4 train to derail north of the 14th Street–Union Square station in Manhattan.

[6][12] On December 21, 1994, disgruntled computer analyst Edward J. Leary firebombed a crowded 4 train at Fulton Street.

A little more than three years later, however, on February 3, 1998, cars 1391–1395, while out of service, was rear-ended by another out-of-service train of R33s at the 239th Street Yard.

The MTA proposed mid-life technological upgrades for the R62s in 2010, including LED destination signs and automated announcements.