722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York
3 journalers for this copy...
From Publishers Weekly
New York City's rapid transit system, the longest in the world, was built between 1904 and 1940, and initally was operated as three separate lines (Interborough Rapid Transit, or IRT; Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit, or BMT; and the Independent System, or IND), all of which were eventually unified into one municipal system. Hood, a professor of history at Hobart and William Smith College in New York, here provides a clear, perceptive and carefully researched study of this engineering feat and the ways in which the subway led to an expansion of the metropolitan area. Financed by both private and public funds, construction was hampered by conflicts between financiers and politicians, as well as by geological obstacles which led to devastating underground accidents. Hood convincingly argues that the takeover of the subways by the Transit Authority in 1953 resulted in a progressive deterioration that can only be remedied by government subsidies. This is a strong contribution to urban studies.
New York City's rapid transit system, the longest in the world, was built between 1904 and 1940, and initally was operated as three separate lines (Interborough Rapid Transit, or IRT; Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit, or BMT; and the Independent System, or IND), all of which were eventually unified into one municipal system. Hood, a professor of history at Hobart and William Smith College in New York, here provides a clear, perceptive and carefully researched study of this engineering feat and the ways in which the subway led to an expansion of the metropolitan area. Financed by both private and public funds, construction was hampered by conflicts between financiers and politicians, as well as by geological obstacles which led to devastating underground accidents. Hood convincingly argues that the takeover of the subways by the Transit Authority in 1953 resulted in a progressive deterioration that can only be remedied by government subsidies. This is a strong contribution to urban studies.
An enjoyable look at the early years of the New York City subway system. The author gives nice biographical sketches of the relevant political actors and does a decent job of explaining the interactions of different interest groups. The text got a bit dry sometimes and never quite came together as an overarching story instead of just a bunch of isolated historical decisions. Still, I learned quite a bit about how the lines developed and how the city's character was changed by the changing modes of transportation. Recommended for readers of history or those with an interest in New York or public transit history.
This book is heading to booksnbeer, who selected it from a virtual book box over at Book Obsessed.
As a New Yorker, I am really looking forward to this one.
Good friend BooksnBeer lent me this book. I’m from NY so look forward to the read!
