January 30, 2008
Video of the Day: The Saga of the 2nd Avenue Subway
Believe it or not, there was once a time when the subway was celebrated! Channel 13 just launched a video site hosting their visual vault of old shows. The below is from a program that originally aired in 1975, and in part shows the 1870 attempt at an underground transit system. The Beach Pneumatic Transit was a demonstration line secretly built by Scientific American editor Alfred Ely Beach. He constructed the 312-foot tunnel in 58 nights, unbeknownst to those above ground, and once complete it was unveiled to the masses. What they found underground wasn't just a subway, but a ballroom of sorts -- complete with grand piano. Fancy! The glory days didn't last long though, and the program's main focus is on the much less celebrated 2nd Avenue subway, a story that couldn't differ more from the small success of Beach's line.
The '70s saw three 2nd Avenue groundbreaking ceremonies. Just last year we saw the latest groundbreaking in the still ongoing saga, and we wonder how many more we'll have this decade. History, after all, does tend to repeat itself.
|
That video is great.
I agree... get a load of Henry Stern!
How about a link to the Channel 13 site?
I agree... get a load of Henry Stern!
How about a link to the Channel 13 site?
The best part of the video was the woman smoking a cigarette inside the community board meeting at 1:45. Ahhh...the good ol' days.
Last night ABC 7 reported that the MTA is re-evaluating all their capital projects, including the Second Avenue subway. Surprise!
Bring back the 3rd Ave EL.
Yeah...I was wondering where I saw that caveman before...Henry Stern!
Ah, forget the 2nd Ave subway...they'l never finish it...
www.forgotten-ny.com