The 25 best books about new york city history brick underground. The new york city subway system only added to the citys darkness. Tour of the art in the new york city subway, with darryl reilly as your guide. To celebrate the centennial of this event, the johns hopkins university press presents a new edition of gene sansones acclaimed book, evolution of new york. Brief history of new york city transportation topview. Get an inside look at all the art found in the new york city subway system with a guided tour. June 15, 2003 the new york city transit authority now called new york city transit began operating on this date 50 years ago, replacing new york city s board of transportation as the agency in charge of all subway and elevated lines and city owned bus and trolley lines. New york city subway new york city attractions new. In this work, hood combines historical narrative, political history, geology and. But as it is in no other city on earth, the subway of new york is intimately woven into the fabric and identity of the city itself. Pic courtesy of nyc subway podcast the amazing new york city subway system travels hundreds of miles under the.
Helvetica and the new york city subway system the mit press. Manual comes this compendium of subway ephemera, painstakingly collected and. An illustrated history of new york city s transit cars gene sansone on. Tracks of the nyc subway is a comprehensive map book of every mainline and yard track in the new york city subway system. Tags history article signage voice graphic design typography information design paul shaw is a calligrapher and typographer working in new york city. Check out hundreds of art installations, which are scattered throughout the 430 stations. In the 1970s, new york city was on the verge of bankruptcy. New york city is a glorious, sprawling metropolis, and it blazed new trails in city planning and mass transit. Helvetica and the new york city subway system mit press. Explore the worlds largest subway system, the beating heart of the city that. New york city subway overview new york city subway history history of the new york city subway lines and routes list of new york city subway lines list of new york city subway services a division a division new york city subway interborough rapid transit company 1 new york city subway service 2 new york city subway service. Its a must for any serious subway buff, railfan or straphanger who loves to know about the operations of the worlds largest subway system.
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. I am sorry i wasnt able to cover everything in the history of new york city specially the more recent stuff like the 2008 crash or 911 but due to time i cant possibly cover everything and i. The building of the subways and how they transformed. The worst subway accident in new yorks history occurred in 1918 when a. Its operator is the new york city transit authority nycta, which is controlled by the metropolitan transportation authority mta of new york. During those difficult years, the metropolitan transportation authority the new york state agency that manages the transport network in the city and surrounding areas was receiving thousands of reports from. New york city contains roughly 660 miles of subway track connecting 468 subway stationsthe lowest of which is located 180 feet below street level. Transportation expert brian cudahy recounts the history of the new york subway systems in a book that is full of detail, historical anecdote, and the wonders of twentieth century technology. Its like a public library, but on the new york subway. Color this book new york city by abbi jacobson the newest addition to our new york city book collection, this coloring book has quickly become a favorite.
A comprehensive guide to the new york city subways history, unspoken. The book is brief and concise which is a problem in this case because the authors compiled a great deal of information in a small book. Not just a gift to me, but to the history of new york city. Jan 17, 2020 the forgotten history of the upper east sides retro subway entrance. How new york city subways signage evolved from a visual mess to a uniform system with helvetica triumphant. A collaborative labor of love by the metropolitan transportation authority and the new york transit museum. Explorer giovanni da verrazzano, commissioned by the king of france, sailed to the new world, and into what is now new york harbor. Shaw describes the slow typographic changeover supplementing his text with more than. The nyc subway history facts and secrets thrillist.
The true maybe story excellent hardcover book, also by paul shaw. The new york city subway is a rapid transit system that is in new york city, united states. I was doing a grade 10 high school project on urban transportation. The worst subway accident in new york s history occurred in 1918 when a. This book is a necessary addition to any subway fans collection. An illustrated history of new york citys transit cars, 18671997.
New york city was on the brink of bankruptcy in the 1970s. Podcast the amazing new york city subway system travels hundreds of miles under the earth and elevated through the boroughs. A natural history of new york 2005, environmental history excerpt and text search. Nov 18, 2008 for more information, see paul shaws book, helvetica and the new york city subway system mit press, 2011. The forgotten history of the upper east sides retro subway entrance. It has 245 miles or 394 km of routes on 691 miles or 1112 km of track. Aug 20, 2010 the subway in 1951, a bevy of new lines thanks to the unification of the irt, the bmt and the ind, a consolidation we live with today. A short history of new york from colonial times to the present 2010, popular history with focus on politics and riots excerpt and text search. The last subway tokens were sold on april 12, 2003. The new york city subway is a rapid transit system that serves four of the five boroughs of new york city, new york. Produced under the auspices of new yorks metropolitan transit authority, this comprehensive account of the rapid transit systems design.
This is the ny transit museums second major book about the history of the subway following evolution of new york city subways. Tracks of the new york city subway book home facebook. An illustrated history of new york citys transit cars gene sansone on. Shaw describes the slow typographic changeover supplementing his text with more than 250 imagesphotographs, sketches, type samples, and documents. Street performers in america, the history of busking is the history of urban civilization. The subway was known as filthy, noisy, dangerous, and tagged with graffiti.
Oct 12, 2015 there are some color photos but new york city subway cars is the clear winner in that category. The book also includes details on abandoned tracks and stations, radio frequencies, whistle and buzzer codes and many other useful goodies. Im a transit enthusiast from the nyc area that mainly covers the nyc subway. Were excited to announce the launch of subway library, a new initiative between the new york public library, brooklyn public library, and queens library, the mta, and transit wireless that provides subway riders in new york city with free access to hundreds of ebooks, excerpts, and short storiesall ready to read on the train. To see more of nyc subway history, check out forgotten new yorks tour of the 28 first subway stations. The new york city subway map as youve never seen it before. We are now producing a new bowery boys podcast every week.
May 11, 2018 street performance has a long history, especially in new york city. We go out and leave some of our favorite books on the new york subway. Additional history resources for the new york subway mosaics the mostly true story of helvetica and the new york city subway an online article on the subway systems signage by paul shaw, great pictures of subway signage, history, etc. For more information, see paul shaws book, helvetica and the new york city subway system mit press, 2011. This book was rather disappointing since a lot of it was just excerpts from other more lengthy and in depth books. The new york city subway map as youve never seen it.
As part of my research i wrote to the new york city transit authority asking for any maps or plans i. I chose to write my work on the topic of the new york subway system even though i had yet to ride on it. This vast rail system includes more than 470 stations that are mostly located underground. There are new books every day, and theyre there to be taken, read, shared, and most importantly, enjoyed. New york city during the 19701980s was not the same city we know today. For 35 years, from 1941 to 1976which took us from rosie the riveter to home economics classes and eventually to gloria steinem200. It is run by the metropolitan transportation authority mta. He places this signage evolution in the context of the history of the new york city subway system, of 1960s transportation.
Forgotten new york is one of my favorite nyc sites and kevin walsh has created an excellent photo tour of the beautiful tile and artwork in these old stations. Today, the subway brand is the worlds largest submarine sandwich chain with more than 40,000 locations around the world. New york city subway consisting of more than 30 lines, the new york city subway is an extensive rapid transit network that serves millions of passengers each year. The curiosities, secrets, and unofficial history of. The first was issued in 1953, followed by new versions in 1970, 1980, 1986, and this one in 1995.
The history of americas largest and most famous subway system is an interesting book. What new york citys subway system can learn from ones around the world. An illustrated history of new york city s transit cars, 18671997 professor gene sansone, professor clifton hood on. From the beginning, fred has had a clear vision for the future of the subway brand. It is one of the biggest rapid transit systems in the world, with 472 stations. Behindthescenes tour of new york city s subway art. The streets of manhattan were known as dark and dangerous. Dec 05, 2017 for 35 years, from 1941 to 1976which took us from rosie the riveter to home economics classes and eventually to gloria steinem200 young new york city residents were chosen for the title of. Images from todays date in history world around new york city.
Click to find the transportations long and storied history in one of the greatest cities on earth. This book tells the story of how typographic order triumphed over chaos. Weve become the leading choice for people seeking quick, nutritious meal options that the whole family can enjoy. The interborough rapid transit subway, or irt, was the first subway company in new york city. When it first opened on october 27, 1904, the new york city subway ran tw. August 14, 2003 largest power failure in us history hits new york. New york city was one of the last major transit systems to adopt an electronic fare system, which was finally set in motion with the first electronic turnstile and sale of metrocards in 1994.
The subway in 1951, a bevy of new lines thanks to the unification of the irt, the bmt and the ind, a consolidation we live with today. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. June 15, 2003 the new york city transit authority now called new york city transit began operating on this date 50 years ago, replacing new york citys board of transportation as the agency in charge of all subway and elevated lines and cityowned bus and trolley lines. The mostly true story of helvetica and the new york city subway an online article on the subway systems signage by paul shaw, great pictures of subway signage, history, etc. The r9 was a new york city subway car model which was built by the american car and.
Underground tour of the new york city subway in new york. For years, the signs in the new york city subway system were a bewildering hodgepodge of lettering styles, sizes, shapes, materials, colors, and messages. The sons of liberty destroyed british authority in new york city, and the stamp act congress of representatives from throughout the thirteen colonies met in the city in 1765 to organize resistance to british policies. Riding the big apples iconic subway is an exciting sightseeing experience in its own right. There have been street performers at least as long as there have been streets campbell. The subway system in the 1970s80s history of new york city. The book covers every remarkable moment, from the technical obstacles and corruption that impeded plans for an. The mostly true story of helvetica and the new york city subway. New york city subway guidebook with maps, stations, yards, tracks and other useful and historical information. The history, curiosities, and secrets of the new york city transit system by john e.
There are some color photos but new york city subway cars is the clear winner in that category. To celebrate the centennial of this event, the johns hopkins university press presents a new edition of gene sansones acclaimed book, evolution of new york city subways. Were also looking to improve the show in other ways and expand in other ways as well through publishing, social media, live events and other forms of media. For much more on new york state history, check out our path through history site. Morris is both a vivid history of this great transportation system and an exploration of its impact on the city and popular culture. The story walks readers through new york citys lively sights, historic buildings and bustling streets. New york city subway simple english wikipedia, the free. Popular new york history books goodreads share book.
The first subway line in new york city opened on october 27, 1904. The mostly true story of helvetica and the new york city. Street performance has a long history, especially in new york city. Were also looking to improve the show in other ways and expand in other ways as well through publishing. As part of my research i wrote to the new york city transit authority asking for any maps or plans i could use in my project.