Graham Kelso

Prof Cen

Writ 102

5/14/2024

Archives of the New York Subway

        For my archival project, I have decided to use various maps of the New York City subway system with the goal of portraying the changes and developments that have brought together the modern day New York City subway. Reason being, I believe that these maps show not only the demand over time, but also the economic and growth of the city as a whole. Within this essay, I will use a few different archives to achieve this goal. They will portray the intended message by which the New York Subway came to be and how it functions to this day.

        With roots growing from the London Underground competition with Boston to see who could be first to create a subway system, New York City embarked on a journey to build their own vast subway system both beneath the streets and above them. Beginning in 1870, the City of New York chartered the Rapid Transit Commission, marking the first official step towards the creation of a subway system. However, it wasn't until 1894 that significant progress was made with the formation of the Rapid Transit Subway Construction Company and the passing of the Rapid Transit Subway Construction Act (Madeleine). Under the guidance of William Barclay Parsons, chief engineer of the company, plans were drawn up for an extensive subway network that would revolutionize urban transportation. Construction on the first line, known as the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), commenced in 1900. In a groundbreaking ceremony a signatory shovel was used by then mayor Robert Anderson Van Wyckon, to begin the monumental process of the beginning of the vast subway system. This ceremony was held on March 24, 1900, and it marked the beginning of a monumental undertaking that would forever change the landscape of New York City and its inhabitants. The initial phase of the project focused on the construction of the main line, stretching from City Hall in Lower Manhattan to 145th Street on Broadway. On October 27, 1904, amidst much fanfare and excitement, the first segment of the New York City subway system was opened to the public, heralding the beginning of a new era of mass transit in the city. Additionally, outside of the 4 boroughs of Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens, Staten Island was working on their own separate railway system to facilitate transport.

I will begin with this photograph show below from 1904,

Photocopied Photograph From 1904

(William)

This map is a photocopied colorized map of the New York City Subway in 1904. This cartograph was used by planners and commuters to analyze their route and how further improvements could be made. The significance lies in how although “bare-bones” the subway had already begun with solid foundations. One could expect to get from City Hall to the Bronx in a mere thirty minutes. Another unique factor is that this map contained more than just where the trains were going, it also contained further information such as storage yards and substations which were critical for the infrastructure of the system at that time and for many years to come. Additionally, the colors, red and blue, function to create a discrepancy between the two companies that owned the subway systems during that period. Following its triumphant debut in 1904, the New York City subway system began its golden age of expansion and innovation. Buoyed by the success of the initial line, city officials and transit authorities embarked on an ambitious plan to extend the subway network to all corners of the five boroughs. As for the Staten Island Railroad, construction began in 1855, and it opened in 1860. (Eisenstein Hank and Darlington Peggy) As the railway was utilized and expanded, 2 more lines were built to bring travelers not only around the island but also off it, having railway systems that would connect to railways that would go to Ohio, Baltimore, and New York. By 1885, the Staten Island Railroad had been expanded which is shown in this map (No name, MAP OF THE STATEN ISLAND RAPID TRANSIT RAILWAY COMPANY 1885). While these expansions wouldn't last forever, and with the modern map of the Staten Island Railroad being only one line, I still believed it important to add in as for historical purposes.

Going back to the main system, throughout the early 20th century, the subway system experienced unprecedented growth, with new lines and stations sprouting up across the city. The construction of the Dual Contracts in the 1910s and 1920s marked a significant milestone in the evolution of the subway, bringing about the addition of numerous elevated and underground lines that connected previously isolated neighborhoods and communities. This system involved two separate contracts: one with the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) and the other with the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT). The contracts, negotiated between the city government and these private companies, outlined their respective responsibilities in expanding and maintaining the city's subway and elevated rail networks. The IRT primarily focused on Manhattan and the Bronx, while the BRT served Brooklyn and parts of Queens. This division allowed for efficient development of the city's transit system, tailored to the needs of different boroughs. However, the dual contracts system also led to competition and occasional conflicts between the two companies, impacting fares, service quality, and overall transit accessibility for New Yorkers.  By the end 1920s, the New York Subway had hundreds of miles of track that led deep into Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, and the Bronx. There were plans to expand into Staten Island but they were scrapped mid-project due to a shift in favor of the construction of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge (Kayla). However, Staten Island has their own railway system which is a near parallel when compared to the 4 other boroughs transportation systems. This map of the other 4 boroughs, in 1924, shows this by showing the vast expansions in all boroughs (except for Staten Island) specifically in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens.

1924 Map of New York Subway

(no name, Routes of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company)

 As with this map, it had red and blue to differentiate between the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. Another interesting fact is the construction of the East River Tubes, Clark Street Tubes, Queensborough Tubes, and the ability for trains to pass over the Queensborough Bridge. By 1939, the subway had undergone further expansions and enhancements, reflecting ongoing efforts to meet the growing demands of the city's residents and visitors.

The Great Depression of the 1930s brought about economic hardship and uncertainty for millions of Americans, but it also ushered in a period of unprecedented growth and investment in public infrastructure. In New York City, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and other New Deal agencies undertook ambitious projects to improve and modernize the subway system further. This included electric subway maps which showed where trains were located on their route; this system is still being used today though it is being modernized to increase efficiency (Verena). By this point, the subway system was owned by two companies which were both essentially owned by the city but behaved like private companies.  In the 1940s the city officially bought both companies, putting the New York City Transit Authority in control of development and expansion of the subway lines. This acquisition was driven by the city's desire to streamline operations and improve service efficiency across its burgeoning subway and elevated rail networks.

Photocopied Map of New York City 1940

(George)

Through the 1950s and 1960s, expansion of the New York Subway finally slowed down due to funding cuts and a lack of riders which created a lack of revenue. By 1970, ridership had dropped to 1910s levels and the subways were full of crime, graffiti, and decay. Due to a lack of operators, subways would run less often and law enforcement was not able to control the spike of crime which further brought the decline of the New York Subway and caused many commuters to find other ways of getting to their destination (Mark). This caused a crisis for the MTA as the increased cost of dealing with criminals and vandals was accompanied by significantly lower revenue and low federal/state funding to combat the issue directly. Attempts such as increased police presence and the positioning of regular NYPD officers within the stations and trains was attempted but was later canceled due to the overtime costs that came with the program. However, beginning in the early 1980s, a concerted effort was launched to rebuild and modernize the subway system. The journey of rebuilding the New York City subway commenced in earnest in 1984 with the appointment of David L. Gunn as president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Under Gunn's leadership, a comprehensive plan was devised to address the myriad challenges facing the subway system. This plan aimed to tackle issues ranging from infrastructure decay to crime and vandalism. Upon this plan being put in place, and increased funding both State and Federal, the New York City subway was able to be for the most part, revived, bringing confidence back to commuters who began taking back to the system en masse. With renewed confidence in the subway system, emphasis was then placed on modernizing the system.

 Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, significant strides were made in order to realize these modernizations. Beginning in 1982, a massive capital improvement program was initiated, focusing on track repairs, station renovations, and the modernization of signaling and communications systems. By 1984, the MTA had launched the "Redbird" program, replacing the aging subway cars with newer, more reliable models. Increased policing, coupled with community outreach programs, helped to curb crime and restore a sense of safety and confidence among subway riders. This led to people wanting to take the subway again and with time, what had become a backwater transportation service became once again a national landmark among many others in the United States. After the 1980s, expansion of the line slowed but didn't stop the development and modernization of the subway system. In 1994, metrocards were introduced, replacing coins and passes. After that, capital plans were put in place, each lasting 4 years which covered the cost of renovations, maintenance, and limited expansion in the Q line. The most recent program, the MTA 2020-2024 Capital Program, has seen the largest investment in the subway system in history (not adjusting for previous plans inflation) $54.8 billion dollars spent on modernizing and improving not only the New York Metropolitan Area’s subway system, but also bus, rail, and roadways. As of today the New York Subway System is at its peak, stretching for hundreds of miles which can be seen in the most recent map made by the MTA.

April 2024 Map Of New York Subway

(Michael)

In conclusion, from its inception in the late 19th century to its modern-day status as a vital artery of transportation, the subway has undergone remarkable growth and transformation over more than a century. And by focusing on maps, these changes are illuminated with significant growth and change which had led to the subway system use and cherish today. And whilst there are still prevalent issues with the system, its ability to move millions of people daily shows how much it has improved and innovated to meet the vast demands of the city it has rooted itself in.

Works Cited

1. Dobnik, Verena. “NYC subways slowly upgrading from 1930s-era technology” phys.org, posted on December 21st 2014, https://phys.org/news/2014-12-nyc-subways-slowly-1930s-era-technology.html, accessed 3/4/2024.

2. Eisenstein Hank and Darlington Peggy, “SIRT Staten Island Rapid Transit” www.nycsubway.org, https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/SIRT_Staten_Island_Rapid_Transit, accessed 5/10/2024.

3. Feinman, Mark. “The New York Transit Authority in the 1970s”, Version 1.0, 19th of  November 2002, https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/The_New_York_Transit_Authority_in_the_1970s#google_vignette, accessed 3/4/2024

4. Hazelwood, Madeleine. “Contemplating and Commemorating Rapid Transit in New York City”, Museum of the City of New York, posted April 27th, 2017, https://www.mcny.org/story/contemplating-and-commemorating-rapid-transit-new-york-city?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA84CvBhCaARIsAMkAvkJ62Zd0wSx1SonAddy3kGE5YrO6q9wWrmVYMw3Ti64cHM8_zy7n-6IaAq0tEALw_wcB , accessed 3/2/2024.

5. Hertz Michael, “April 2024 map of the New York City subway”, April 2024, Housed on Broadway New York, New York, https://new.mta.info/map/5256, date of access 5/10/2024

6. No name, “MAP OF THE STATEN ISLAND RAPID TRANSIT RAILWAY COMPANY 1885”, 1885, Unknown where photo is housed, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/01/SIRT_map.jpg/500px-SIRT_map.jpg, date of access 5/10/2024

7. No name, “Routes of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company”, 1924, Routes of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, location of holding unknown, https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3804n.ct002210/?r=0.331,0.201,0.643,0.536,0, date accessed 5/3/2024.

8. Nostrano, George, “New York City Transit System 1940”, 1940, New York City Transit System, location of holding unknown, https://www.geographicus.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/L/NYCMassTransit-nostrand-1940.jpg, date accessed 5/3/2024.

9. Parsons, William. “Interborough Transit Map 1904”, 1904, Vintage map shows NYC subway map in 1904, location of holding unknown, https://viewing.nyc/vintage-map-shows-new-york-citys-irt-subway-lines-in-1904/, date accessed 4/5/2024.

10. Simas, Kayla. “Why is Staten Island the only borough not connected to NYC by subway? NYCurious”, amNY, posted on November 4th 2018, https://www.amny.com/transit/nyc-subways-staten-island-1-22789344/, date accessed 3/3/2024.