Author: Eric Oszustowicz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692694602
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 372
Book Description
Many New Yorkers rushing through the streets of Manhattan today are completely oblivious to the fact that at one time there was an extensive elevated railway system that traversed most of the island from the Battery through Midtown, Harlem and on into The Bronx and later into Queens. Certain narrow downtown streets, such as Pearl Street, were shrouded in darkness by the elevated structure, even on the sunniest of days.But without these elevated railways, it would not have been possible for New York City to develop as fast as it did. Development would have been delayed about 25 years until the first subways opened since there was no other way to move the massive crowds through the City. Partially due to the constant expansion of the underground subway lines and to a great extent real estate interests, the elevated lines that ran into southern Manhattan were all torn down from 1938 to 1955.Although New York has its own unique and extreme dynamism and is one of the great cities of the world, one could only wonder what New York would be like today if one or more of the elevated lines were still standing.
The Elevated Railways of Manhattan
Author: Eric Oszustowicz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692694602
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 372
Book Description
Many New Yorkers rushing through the streets of Manhattan today are completely oblivious to the fact that at one time there was an extensive elevated railway system that traversed most of the island from the Battery through Midtown, Harlem and on into The Bronx and later into Queens. Certain narrow downtown streets, such as Pearl Street, were shrouded in darkness by the elevated structure, even on the sunniest of days.But without these elevated railways, it would not have been possible for New York City to develop as fast as it did. Development would have been delayed about 25 years until the first subways opened since there was no other way to move the massive crowds through the City. Partially due to the constant expansion of the underground subway lines and to a great extent real estate interests, the elevated lines that ran into southern Manhattan were all torn down from 1938 to 1955.Although New York has its own unique and extreme dynamism and is one of the great cities of the world, one could only wonder what New York would be like today if one or more of the elevated lines were still standing.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692694602
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 372
Book Description
Many New Yorkers rushing through the streets of Manhattan today are completely oblivious to the fact that at one time there was an extensive elevated railway system that traversed most of the island from the Battery through Midtown, Harlem and on into The Bronx and later into Queens. Certain narrow downtown streets, such as Pearl Street, were shrouded in darkness by the elevated structure, even on the sunniest of days.But without these elevated railways, it would not have been possible for New York City to develop as fast as it did. Development would have been delayed about 25 years until the first subways opened since there was no other way to move the massive crowds through the City. Partially due to the constant expansion of the underground subway lines and to a great extent real estate interests, the elevated lines that ran into southern Manhattan were all torn down from 1938 to 1955.Although New York has its own unique and extreme dynamism and is one of the great cities of the world, one could only wonder what New York would be like today if one or more of the elevated lines were still standing.
Grand Central Terminal
Author: Kurt C. Schlichting
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press+ORM
ISBN: 0801872960
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
“Looks behind the facade to see the hidden engineering marvels . . . will deepen anyone’s appreciation for New York’s most magnificent interior space.” —The New York Times Book Review Winner of the Professional/Scholarly Publishing Award in Architecture from the Association of American Publishers Grand Central Terminal, one of New York City’s preeminent buildings, stands as a magnificent Beaux-Arts monument to America’s Railway Age, and it remains a vital part of city life today. Completed in 1913 after ten years of construction, the terminal became the city’s most important transportation hub, linking long-distance and commuter trains to New York’s network of subways, elevated trains, and streetcars. Its soaring Grand Concourse still offers passengers a majestic gateway to the wonders beyond 42nd Street. In Grand Central Terminal, Kurt C. Schlichting traces the history of this spectacular building, detailing the colorful personalities, bitter conflicts, and Herculean feats of engineering that lie behind its construction. Schlichting begins with Cornelius Vanderbilt—“The Commodore”—whose railroad empire demanded an appropriately palatial passenger terminal in the heart of New York City. Completed in 1871, the first Grand Central was the largest rail facility in the world and yet—cramped and overburdened—soon proved thoroughly inadequate for the needs of this rapidly expanding city. William Wilgus, chief engineer of the New York Central Railroad, conceived of a new Grand Central Terminal, one that would fully meet the needs of the New York Central line. Grand Central became a monument to the creativity and daring of a remarkable age. More than a history of a train station, this book is the story of a city and an age as reflected in a building aptly described as a secular cathedral.
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press+ORM
ISBN: 0801872960
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
“Looks behind the facade to see the hidden engineering marvels . . . will deepen anyone’s appreciation for New York’s most magnificent interior space.” —The New York Times Book Review Winner of the Professional/Scholarly Publishing Award in Architecture from the Association of American Publishers Grand Central Terminal, one of New York City’s preeminent buildings, stands as a magnificent Beaux-Arts monument to America’s Railway Age, and it remains a vital part of city life today. Completed in 1913 after ten years of construction, the terminal became the city’s most important transportation hub, linking long-distance and commuter trains to New York’s network of subways, elevated trains, and streetcars. Its soaring Grand Concourse still offers passengers a majestic gateway to the wonders beyond 42nd Street. In Grand Central Terminal, Kurt C. Schlichting traces the history of this spectacular building, detailing the colorful personalities, bitter conflicts, and Herculean feats of engineering that lie behind its construction. Schlichting begins with Cornelius Vanderbilt—“The Commodore”—whose railroad empire demanded an appropriately palatial passenger terminal in the heart of New York City. Completed in 1871, the first Grand Central was the largest rail facility in the world and yet—cramped and overburdened—soon proved thoroughly inadequate for the needs of this rapidly expanding city. William Wilgus, chief engineer of the New York Central Railroad, conceived of a new Grand Central Terminal, one that would fully meet the needs of the New York Central line. Grand Central became a monument to the creativity and daring of a remarkable age. More than a history of a train station, this book is the story of a city and an age as reflected in a building aptly described as a secular cathedral.
Fifty Years of Rapid Transit, 1864-1917
Author: James Blaine Walker
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Local transit
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Local transit
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
High Line
Author: Joshua David
Publisher: FSG Originals
ISBN: 9780374532994
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
How two New Yorkers led the transformation of a derelict elevated railway into a grand--and beloved--open space The High Line, a new park atop an ele-vated rail structure on Manhattan's West Side, is among the most innovative urban reclamation projects in memory. The story of how it came to be is a remarkable one: two young citizens with no prior experience in planning and development collaborated with their neighbors, elected officials, artists, local business owners, and leaders of burgeoning movements in horticulture and landscape architecture to create a park celebrated worldwide as a model for creatively designed, socially vibrant, ecologically sound public space. Joshua David and Robert Hammond met in 1999 at a community board meeting to consider the fate of the High Line. Built in the 1930s, it carried freight trains to the West Side when the area was defined by factories and warehouses. But when trains were replaced by truck transport, the High Line became obsolete. By century's end it was a rusty, forbidding ruin. Plants grew between the tracks, giving it a wild and striking beauty. David and Hammond loved the ruin and saw in it an opportunity to create a new way to experience their city. Over ten years, they did so. In this candid and inspiring book-- lavishly illustrated--they tell how they relied on skill, luck, and good timing: a crucial court ruling, an inspiring design contest, the enthusiasm of Mayor Bloomberg, the concern for urban planning issues following 9/11. Now the High Line--a half-mile expanse of plants, paths, staircases, and framed vistas--runs through a transformed West Side and reminds us that extraordinary things are possible when creative people work together for the common good.
Publisher: FSG Originals
ISBN: 9780374532994
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
How two New Yorkers led the transformation of a derelict elevated railway into a grand--and beloved--open space The High Line, a new park atop an ele-vated rail structure on Manhattan's West Side, is among the most innovative urban reclamation projects in memory. The story of how it came to be is a remarkable one: two young citizens with no prior experience in planning and development collaborated with their neighbors, elected officials, artists, local business owners, and leaders of burgeoning movements in horticulture and landscape architecture to create a park celebrated worldwide as a model for creatively designed, socially vibrant, ecologically sound public space. Joshua David and Robert Hammond met in 1999 at a community board meeting to consider the fate of the High Line. Built in the 1930s, it carried freight trains to the West Side when the area was defined by factories and warehouses. But when trains were replaced by truck transport, the High Line became obsolete. By century's end it was a rusty, forbidding ruin. Plants grew between the tracks, giving it a wild and striking beauty. David and Hammond loved the ruin and saw in it an opportunity to create a new way to experience their city. Over ten years, they did so. In this candid and inspiring book-- lavishly illustrated--they tell how they relied on skill, luck, and good timing: a crucial court ruling, an inspiring design contest, the enthusiasm of Mayor Bloomberg, the concern for urban planning issues following 9/11. Now the High Line--a half-mile expanse of plants, paths, staircases, and framed vistas--runs through a transformed West Side and reminds us that extraordinary things are possible when creative people work together for the common good.
The Wheels That Drove New York
Author: Roger P. Roess
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642304842
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 441
Book Description
The Wheels That Drove New York tells the fascinating story of how a public transportation system helped transform a small trading community on the southern tip of Manhattan island to a world financial capital that is home to more than 8,000,000 people. From the earliest days of horse-drawn conveyances to the wonders of one of the world's largest and most efficient subways, the story links the developing history of the City itself to the growth and development of its public transit system. Along the way, the key role of played by the inventors, builders, financiers, and managers of the system are highlighted. New York began as a fur trading outpost run by the Dutch West India Company, established after the discovery and exploration of New York Harbor and its great river by Henry Hudson. It was eventually taken over by the British, and the magnificent harbor provided for a growing center of trade. Trade spurred industry, initially those needed to support the shipping industry, later spreading to various products for export. When DeWitt Clinton built the Erie Canal, which linked New York Harbor to the Great Lakes, New York became the center of trade for all products moving into and out of the mid-west. As industry grew, New York became a magnate for immigrants seeking refuge in a new land of opportunity. The City's population continued to expand. Both water and land barriers, however, forced virtually the entire population to live south of what is now 14th Street. Densities grew dangerously, and brought both disease and conflict to the poorer quarters of the Five Towns. To expand, the City needed to conquer land and water barriers, primarily with a public transportation system. By the time of the Civil War, the City was at a breaking point. The horse-drawn public conveyances that had provided all of the public transportation services since the 1820's needed to be replaced with something more effective and efficient. First came the elevated railroads, initially powered by steam engines. With the invention of electricity and the electric traction motor, the elevated's were electrified, and a trolley system emerged. Finally, in 1904, the City opened its first subway. From there, the City's growth to northern Manhattan and to the "outer boroughs" of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx exploded. The Wheels That Drove New York takes us through the present day, and discusses the many challenges that the transit system has had to face over the years. It also traces the conversion of the system from fully private operations (through the elevated railways) to the fully public system that exists today, and the problems that this transformation has created along the way.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 3642304842
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 441
Book Description
The Wheels That Drove New York tells the fascinating story of how a public transportation system helped transform a small trading community on the southern tip of Manhattan island to a world financial capital that is home to more than 8,000,000 people. From the earliest days of horse-drawn conveyances to the wonders of one of the world's largest and most efficient subways, the story links the developing history of the City itself to the growth and development of its public transit system. Along the way, the key role of played by the inventors, builders, financiers, and managers of the system are highlighted. New York began as a fur trading outpost run by the Dutch West India Company, established after the discovery and exploration of New York Harbor and its great river by Henry Hudson. It was eventually taken over by the British, and the magnificent harbor provided for a growing center of trade. Trade spurred industry, initially those needed to support the shipping industry, later spreading to various products for export. When DeWitt Clinton built the Erie Canal, which linked New York Harbor to the Great Lakes, New York became the center of trade for all products moving into and out of the mid-west. As industry grew, New York became a magnate for immigrants seeking refuge in a new land of opportunity. The City's population continued to expand. Both water and land barriers, however, forced virtually the entire population to live south of what is now 14th Street. Densities grew dangerously, and brought both disease and conflict to the poorer quarters of the Five Towns. To expand, the City needed to conquer land and water barriers, primarily with a public transportation system. By the time of the Civil War, the City was at a breaking point. The horse-drawn public conveyances that had provided all of the public transportation services since the 1820's needed to be replaced with something more effective and efficient. First came the elevated railroads, initially powered by steam engines. With the invention of electricity and the electric traction motor, the elevated's were electrified, and a trolley system emerged. Finally, in 1904, the City opened its first subway. From there, the City's growth to northern Manhattan and to the "outer boroughs" of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx exploded. The Wheels That Drove New York takes us through the present day, and discusses the many challenges that the transit system has had to face over the years. It also traces the conversion of the system from fully private operations (through the elevated railways) to the fully public system that exists today, and the problems that this transformation has created along the way.
City Beneath Us
Author: New York Transit Museum
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 9780393057973
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Reproduces photographic prints from the collection of the New York Transit Museum.
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 9780393057973
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 260
Book Description
Reproduces photographic prints from the collection of the New York Transit Museum.
The Bowery Boys
Author: Greg Young
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1612435769
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 399
Book Description
Uncover fascinating, little-known histories of the five boroughs in The Bowery Boys’ official companion to their popular, award-winning podcast. It was 2007. Sitting at a kitchen table and speaking into an old karaoke microphone, Greg Young and Tom Meyers recorded their first podcast. They weren’t history professors or voice actors. They were just two guys living in the Bowery and possessing an unquenchable thirst for the fascinating stories from New York City’s past. Nearly 200 episodes later, The Bowery Boys podcast is a phenomenon, thrilling audiences each month with one amazing story after the next. Now, in their first-ever book, the duo gives you an exclusive personal tour through New York’s old cobblestone streets and gas-lit back alleyways. In their uniquely approachable style, the authors bring to life everything from makeshift forts of the early Dutch years to the opulent mansions of The Gilded Age. They weave tales that will reshape your view of famous sites like Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, and the High Line. Then they go even further to reveal notorious dens of vice, scandalous Jazz Age crime scenes, and park statues with strange pasts. Praise for The Bowery Boys “Among the best city-centric series.” —New York Times “Meyers and Young have become unofficial ambassadors of New York history.” —NPR “Breezy and informative, crowded with the finest grifters, knickerbockers, spiritualists, and city builders to stalk these streets since back when New Amsterdam was just some farms.” —Village Voice “Young and Meyers have an all-consuming curiosity to work out what happened in their city in years past, including the Newsboys Strike of 1899, the history of the Staten Island Ferry, and the real-life sites on which Martin Scorsese’s Vinyl is based.” —The Guardian
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1612435769
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 399
Book Description
Uncover fascinating, little-known histories of the five boroughs in The Bowery Boys’ official companion to their popular, award-winning podcast. It was 2007. Sitting at a kitchen table and speaking into an old karaoke microphone, Greg Young and Tom Meyers recorded their first podcast. They weren’t history professors or voice actors. They were just two guys living in the Bowery and possessing an unquenchable thirst for the fascinating stories from New York City’s past. Nearly 200 episodes later, The Bowery Boys podcast is a phenomenon, thrilling audiences each month with one amazing story after the next. Now, in their first-ever book, the duo gives you an exclusive personal tour through New York’s old cobblestone streets and gas-lit back alleyways. In their uniquely approachable style, the authors bring to life everything from makeshift forts of the early Dutch years to the opulent mansions of The Gilded Age. They weave tales that will reshape your view of famous sites like Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, and the High Line. Then they go even further to reveal notorious dens of vice, scandalous Jazz Age crime scenes, and park statues with strange pasts. Praise for The Bowery Boys “Among the best city-centric series.” —New York Times “Meyers and Young have become unofficial ambassadors of New York history.” —NPR “Breezy and informative, crowded with the finest grifters, knickerbockers, spiritualists, and city builders to stalk these streets since back when New Amsterdam was just some farms.” —Village Voice “Young and Meyers have an all-consuming curiosity to work out what happened in their city in years past, including the Newsboys Strike of 1899, the history of the Staten Island Ferry, and the real-life sites on which Martin Scorsese’s Vinyl is based.” —The Guardian
The Elevated Railways of Brooklyn and the BMT Subway
Author: Eric Oszustowicz
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781736430507
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 436
Book Description
During the hot summer months, people wanted to get to the beaches quickly and the fastest way to get anywhere in the 1860s and 1870s was by steam train. What would become the BMT subway and elevated lines began with these steam train operations.Most of the subway and elevated lines in Brooklyn today owe their origins to steam railroads constructed in the late 19th century. If one looks at a steam railway map from that period, it partially resembles a present-day subway map. These steam railways, which operated on both elevated structures and along streets, would eventually evolve to become the lines of the Brooklyn Manhattan Transit (BMT) system. Although the Interborough Rapid Transit Co. (IRT) and the city owned Independent (IND) would also construct their own lines in Brooklyn, this publication will primarily focus on the BRT/BMT system. Coney Island was the major reason most of the steam railroads were built. All of today's subway lines that terminate in Coney Island were once steam railroads that operated all of their mileage on the streets of Kings County.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781736430507
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 436
Book Description
During the hot summer months, people wanted to get to the beaches quickly and the fastest way to get anywhere in the 1860s and 1870s was by steam train. What would become the BMT subway and elevated lines began with these steam train operations.Most of the subway and elevated lines in Brooklyn today owe their origins to steam railroads constructed in the late 19th century. If one looks at a steam railway map from that period, it partially resembles a present-day subway map. These steam railways, which operated on both elevated structures and along streets, would eventually evolve to become the lines of the Brooklyn Manhattan Transit (BMT) system. Although the Interborough Rapid Transit Co. (IRT) and the city owned Independent (IND) would also construct their own lines in Brooklyn, this publication will primarily focus on the BRT/BMT system. Coney Island was the major reason most of the steam railroads were built. All of today's subway lines that terminate in Coney Island were once steam railroads that operated all of their mileage on the streets of Kings County.
Subway City
Author: Michael W. Brooks
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
ISBN: 9780813523965
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 284
Book Description
Traces the development of the subway from its inception to its decline as an overcrowded and dangerous part of city life - Explores how it has been represented in film and art - Gives women's experiences of the subway - Examines the city's racial tensions - Skyscapers - Spatial layout of the city - Urban space.
Publisher: Rutgers University Press
ISBN: 9780813523965
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 284
Book Description
Traces the development of the subway from its inception to its decline as an overcrowded and dangerous part of city life - Explores how it has been represented in film and art - Gives women's experiences of the subway - Examines the city's racial tensions - Skyscapers - Spatial layout of the city - Urban space.
Metropolitan Railways
Author: William D. Middleton
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253341792
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
"Metropolitan Railways" is a large-scale, illustrated volume that deals with the growth and development of urban rail transit systems in North America.
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253341792
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 306
Book Description
"Metropolitan Railways" is a large-scale, illustrated volume that deals with the growth and development of urban rail transit systems in North America.