"New York wouldn't be New York without the subway. This one-time engineering marvel that united and expanded the city has been a cultural touchstone for the last 114 years. Somehow though, there has never been a book that celebrates the subway from the scars it left on the city's fabric to the romantic fantasies it unleashed. Subway will convey a sense of wonder and fun about the world's largest transit system. The book will include a complete, concise history of the subway beginning with the technical obstacles and corruption that impeded plans for an underground rail line in the late 1800s, and the visionary and sometimes wacky schemes put forward in that era for subterranean and elevated transport. It will also tell how additional lines were built and how three independent subway systems were merged, creating the mishmash of numbered and lettered lines we have today.Interspersed throughout will be sidebars and stand-alone sections including profiles of characters that helped make the subway what it is (including the mostly forgotten August Belmont Jr., a flamboyant financier who bankrolled the first subway); graphics and imagery showing the evolution of subway cars, tokens and MetroCards, graffiti, and even subway etiquette ads; how the subway has been characterized in movies, television, and music; a look at abandoned cars and stations and more. Packed with compelling stories, fascinating facts and anecdotes, vivid portraits of the people who made the subway and those who saved it, all supplemented with engrossing imagery and a dynamic design, Subway will be a visual feast and must-have gift book, perfect for any coffee table"--

When it first opened on October 27, 1904, the New York City subway ran twenty-two miles from City Hall to 145th Street and Lenox Avenue—the longest stretch ever built at one time. From that initial route through the completion of the IND or Independent Subway line in the 1940s, the subway grew to cover 722 miles—long enough to reach from New York to Chicago. In this definitive history, Clifton Hood traces the complex and fascinating story of the New York City subway system, one of the urban engineering marvels of the twentieth century. For the subway's centennial the author supplies a new foreward explaining that now, after a century, "we can see more clearly than ever that this rapid transit system is among the twentieth century's greatest urban achievements."

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.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the construction of the competing lines and their unification *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "In New York, you've got Donald Trump, Woody Allen, a crack addict and a regular Joe, and they're all on the same subway car." - Ethan Hawke Of all the great cities in the world, few personify their country like New York City. As America's largest city and best known immigration gateway into the country, NYC represents the beauty, diversity and sheer strength of the United States, a global financial center that has enticed people chasing the "American Dream" for centuries. One of the most significant needs of a growing civilization is an efficient transportation system, and by the time the burgeoning New York City had reached the latter half of the 19th century, the waterways and narrow streets were no longer sufficient to get people from one part of the city to another. Something new was needed, and in a place where real estate was already at a premium, building above ground was not an economically efficient option. As such, the leaders of the city commissioned companies to explore the world under the busy streets, and to build a rail system that would allow people to move quickly below the feet of those walking above. First one company and then another rose to the challenge, and the first decade of the 20th century found the city with one of the best subway systems in the nation. As the city grew, so did the companies, and they continued to dig like human gophers into more expansive areas. Perhaps not surprisingly, barely anything went smoothly, and for every mile of track put down, there was at least another mile of red tape that had to be cut through. There were also accidents and tragedies both big and small, but the subway continued to expand. Eventually, city officials decided that such a large undertaking, one on which the city had grown dependent, could not be left in private hands, so the city ultimately took control of the system and made it part of a larger public transportation system in 1940. This proved to be good in the long run, but in the short run caused quite a stir, as old lines were closed and new ones opened. Moreover, as middle-class people began to own automobiles and to drive back and forth to the suburbs each day, the subway fell into disrepute, becoming a seedy place that was considered dangerous for all but the bravest citizens. That might have been the end of the enterprise, had it not been for a serious program of renovation and security that brought the underground train system safely into the 21st century. The subway survived not only its own downfall but the terror that gripped the city on September 11, 2001, and today it is once again considered the way to get around by New Yorkers in the know. Just as notably, the size and scope of the subway brings the city's residents and workers together, a sentiment David Rakoff captured only half in jest: "Deprived of the opportunity to judge one another by the cars we drive, New Yorkers, thrown together daily on mass transit, form silent opinions based on our choices of subway reading. Just by glimpsing the cover staring back at us, we can reach the pinnacle of carnal desire or the depths of hatred. Soul mate or mortal enemy." The New York City Subway: The History of America's Largest and Most Famous Subway System looks at the construction and history of one of the world's biggest and busiest public transportation systems. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the New York City subway like never before.

Offers readers the factual account of how the first section of the New York City's subway system was able to transport its many passengers from areas in lower Manhattan to the Upper West Side in just a matter of minutes--and for only a nickel!

The only guide you will ever need to travel around New York City by subway.From the theater district of trendy Manhattan to the quaint residential neighborhoods of Queens, every single station in the four boroughs has been researched to help you maneuver the system like a pro.Highly Informative and Resourceful, The Book's Highlight's Include:Noteworthy stations featuring the best in underground artThe best nearby restaurants for affordable, informal and ethnic diningInsightful historic information on the IND, BMT, and IRT transit linesA token rating scale that gives an honest assessment of each station'sDecorCleanlinessSafetySurrounding neighborhoodsNearby points of interest such as museums, theaters, parks and shoppingNew York City residents and visitors alike will find this comprehensive handbook indispensable for riding the mass transit rails.

More than 250 extraordinary photographs--including both newly commissioned color photographs and period images from the New York Transit Museum archives--chronicle one hundred years of architectural and design history from the New York City subway system, including everything from the interiors of t