The Strange Tale of New York’s Forgotten Subway
June 2, 2017 By Evan Andrews
Deconstructing History: NYC
It's densely populated and filled with the world's most iconic landmarks. Learn some facts and figures behind "the city that never sleeps."
In 1870, inventor Alfred Ely Beach developed New York City’s first ever subway: a one-stop transit line whose passenger car was propelled by pneumatic power. Known as “Beach Pneumatic Transit,” the experimental metro was constructed under a veil of secrecy and was designed to demonstrate the viability of underground train travel. Though not useful for getting around the city—its tunnel was only a block long—the subway operated for three years and even had plans to expand before financial woes forced it to shut down.
http://www.history.com/news/the-strange-tale-of-new-yorks-forgotten-subway
