The Interborough Rapid Transit Subway, or IRT, was the first
subway company in New York City. Even with elevated train lines
springing up around the city, the need for an underground rapid
transit railroad was obvious as a solution to street congestion and to
assist development in outlying areas. On October 27, 1904, the first
IRT subway line opened, and the city would never be the same. City
Hall station, pictured above, was the showpiece of the new
subway. Photo by Peter Dougherty.
The New York Subway: Its Construction And
Equipment (1904)
The construction
of the IRT is well documented in this 1904 commemorative book honoring
the opening of New York's first subway. It includes construction
diagrams, photographs, and a full accounting of the infrastructure of
the IRT subway.
The New York Subway Souvenir
(1904)
The opening-day souvenir
brochure tells the story of the building of the subway. Includes 38
construction photos, illustrations, and maps, as well as the opening
day timetable, facts & figures, and more.
Day One On The IRT: Press
Coverage Of The Opening Of The Subway (1904)
The public's reaction to the new line; the
coverage in the New York Times of the opening events tries to
describe the subway's effects on the people of the city.
Historic American Engineering
Record: The Interborough Subway
A
scholarly look back at the impact of the IRT on New York City,
prepared by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Progress Of The Rapid
Transit Subway (1900)
A
collection of news items pertaining to the subway contracts and
commencement of construction, from Engineering News and American
Railway Journal, January-June 1900.
Commencement of Work on
Rapid Transit Railroad (1900)
The
souvenir program that was distributed on "Groundbreaking Day", March
24, 1900.
Progress Of The New York Rapid
Transit Tunnel (1901)
Three
short articles from Scientific American in 1901 about the
various construction efforts of the "rapid transit tunnel".
Excellent Progress On The New York
Subway (1902)
September, 1902
construction progress update from Scientific
American.
Building New York's
Subway (1902)
This article from
Century Magazine describes the state of subway construction in
the fall of 1902. Includes a map and some half-tone engraved
illustrations.
Difficult Engineering In The
Subway (1902)
Another 1902
article from Century Magazine, this one by the associate editor
of Engineering Record, details some difficult construction
techniques.
The Tunnel Through New
York (1902)
Contractor John
B. McDonald reports on the status of the subway construction, from a
1902 issue of Munsey's Magazine.
Rapid Transit In New York
City (1903)
This paper presented
to the Municipal Engineers of New York City by the IRT's deputy chief
engineer George S. Rice describes the construction of the subway not
long before its opening.
The Subway And Its
Stations (1903)
Article from
Harper's Weekly about the artistic decoration of the subway
stations; illustrated with engravings.
Underground Rapid Transit
Routes Proposed By The Metropolitan Interests (1904)
The IRT subway had not even opened yet when this
set of new route proposals was floated to the Rapid Transit Commission
in February, 1904. The proposals include lines on Lexington and 8th
Avenue, and an "H" system similiar to that later implemented by the
Dual Contracts. Includes map.
The Men Who Made New York's
Subway (1904)
A Harper's
Weekly article about the importance of the men who built the
"greatest municipal enterprise of modern times."
The New York Subway Instruction
Car (1904)
A brief overview of
the motorman instruction car and safety training efforts for employees
of the new subway, from August 1904,
Scientific American.
New York's New Underground
World (1904)
A summary of the
politics and design of the new subway, from October, 1904 issue of
The Independent magazine. 7 photos/illustrations.
Inauguration of the Rapid Transit
Subway (1904)
A report on the
opening of the subway from October 1904, Scientific
American.
The Interborough Subway's Power
House (1904)
A report from
October 29, 1904's Scientific American, and one from the New
York Times, describing the construction, outfitting, and
capabilities of the subway's powerplant.
New York's Subway In
Operation (1904)
Outlook
Magazine's report describing a ride on the subway.
The New York Rapid Transit
Subway, How It Will Affect The City's Life And
Business (1904)
An article from
the September, 1904, Review which outlines the effects of rapid
transit on New York City's housing patterns.
The Subway
Deal (1905)
Ray Stannard Baker's
overview of the political machinations that lead up to the
construction of the subway, from
McClure's Magazine, March 1905.
Rapid Transit in New York City and in the Other Great Cities (1906)
New York City's Chamber of Commerce published this summary of the work of the Rapid Transit Commission in building the first subway. It also includes an overview of the state of rapid transit in other major cities (22 chapters, 68 illustrations).
Ten Years Of The
Subway (1914)
A 1914 article in
the Interborough Bulletin offers a retrospective of the first
ten years of subway operation.
Fifty Years of
Rapid Transit (1918)
This 1918 book by James Blaine Walker details the politics
behind the development of New York's elevated lines, its first subway,
and the Dual Contracts.
IRT Kiosks
The station kiosks were the IRT's street presence
for many years before nearly all of them were removed. This page has
some photos and scale diagrams of the station kiosks.
Building The IRT Subway: Some Early
Views
A few early photographs of
IRT construction.
|
