Viewing NYC Articles Categorized Under Transportation

[WATCH] Can $68BN Save New York’s Subway?

2026-04-25T12:00:00-04:00

The video highlights the challenges facing the NYC Subway system, from aging infrastructure and chronic delays to fare evasion. It introduces the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) ambitious $68BN 2025-2029 Capital Plan, the largest spending plan in New York's history, aimed at modernizing the network. Key upgrades include new R211 trains with wider doors and enhanced security, accessibility improvements at stations like Smith-9 Streets Station, and the crucial transition from fixed block signalling to Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) on nine lines, expected to significantly boost efficiency and reliability as demonstrated on the L and 7 lines. The plan's funding partly relies on the controversial Congestion Pricing scheme, which has faced legal challenges from various New Yorkers and New Jersey. Historically, the subway experienced a period of decline in the 1970s due to underfunding and crime, followed by a major revitalization in the 1980s and 90s, only to see maintenance neglected again due to debt and vanity projects. The video also touches on the extraordinarily high construction costs in New York, citing the Second Avenue Subway as a prime example of projects running vastly over budget and schedule. Despite its issues, the subway remains a vital, unique, and beloved part of New York City life.

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[WATCH] How NYC Is Banning Cars on Broadway

2026-04-17T12:00:00-04:00

The video explores the transformation of Broadway, one of New York City's most famous streets, from a car-dominated thoroughfare to a more pedestrian-friendly space. Historically, Broadway, known as "Automobile Row" in the early 20th century, has continuously evolved with the city. New York City's Broadway Vision Plan, initiated in 2021, aims to pedestrianize sections of Broadway from Union Square to Columbus Circle, building on successful earlier efforts like the pedestrianization of Times Square. The transformation employs "tactical urbanism" — low-cost, temporary interventions like pedestrian plazas, outdoor seating, bike lanes, and protective barriers. These changes vary block-by-block, often reflecting the needs and wants of local neighborhood groups. While some areas, like Times Square, feature permanent materials and extensive pedestrian zones, other sections still include limited car traffic or mixed-use lanes, leading to some inconsistencies in the street's design. The video highlights how this shift represents a democratic approach to urban planning, prioritizing local needs over a uniform street design.

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[VIDEO] Why There’s a Hidden Station Under New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel

2026-04-15T12:00:00-04:00

Beneath the bustling streets of Midtown Manhattan lies Track 61, a mysterious rail siding with a rich, yet often mythical, history. Originally part of the Grand Central Terminal's service yard in the 1910s, used for hauling coal and ash, it was reborn as a private platform when the iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel was built above it in 1931. This exclusive access point, complete with a freight elevator large enough for automobiles, was rumored to have been used by numerous dignitaries, including generals, presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt, and celebrities such as Andy Warhol, who famously hosted a party there. While many stories surrounding Track 61 are part of urban legend, the video delves into its true origins, its role in New York's rail history, and the blend of fact and folklore that cemented its status as one of the city's most enduring and elusive urban mysteries.

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[WATCH] New York’s Lost Subway | The Secret Beneath Broadway

2025-11-24T12:00:00-05:00

Before New York built its legendary subway system, an inventor quietly constructed a different kind of underground transit—powered not by electricity, but by air. In 1870, Alfred Ely Beach opened the Beach Pneumatic Transit beneath Broadway, a functioning subway that silently whisked passengers through a sealed tunnel using air pressure. It was revolutionary, popular—and ultimately, shut down.

This episode dives into the forgotten story of America’s earliest subway experiment, built in secret under Manhattan at a time when the city’s streets were choked with chaos. We’ll explore how political corruption, especially from Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, crushed the project—and how the remains were unearthed decades later during construction of the modern subway system.

Discover the bold innovation that came before its time—and what might still be buried beneath New York’s streets.

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[BOOKS] New York's Original Penn Station: The Rise and Tragic Fall of an American Landmark

2025-11-19T12:00:00-05:00

The original Pennsylvania Station was a historic railroad station, opened in 1910 and demolished a short 54 years later. Its grandeur matched or exceeded that of Grand Central Terminal, and was one of the architectural jewels of the City. A new book from author/historian Paul Kaplan titled "New York's Original Penn Station: The Rise and Tragic Fall of an American Landmark" tells the story:

In early twentieth-century New York, few could have imagined a train terminal as grandiose as Pennsylvania Station. Yet, executives at the Pennsylvania Railroad secretly bought up land in Manhattan's infamous Tenderloin District to build one of the world's most spectacular monuments. Sandhogs would battle the fiercest of nature to build tunnels linking Manhattan to New Jersey and Long Island. For decades, Penn Station was a center of elegance and pride. But the ensuing rise of the airplane and automobile began to diminish train travel. Consequently, in the mid-1960s, the station was tragically destroyed. The loss inspired the birth of preservation laws in the city and the nation that would save other landmarks like Grand Central. Author Paul Kaplan recounts the trials and triumphs of New York's Penn Station.

Pick up your copy of "New York's Original Penn Station: The Rise and Tragic Fall of an American Landmark" for just $15 on Amazon.

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[VIDEO] What's the Longest Trip You Can Make With a MetroCard?

2025-11-11T12:00:00-05:00

This video chronicles an ambitious journey undertaken by the hosts, Miles and Jeremy, to complete the longest possible trip on a single MetroCard. This extensive trip spans from Putnam County to Suffolk County, utilizing various public transport systems that still accept the MetroCard before its eventual phase-out. The entire trip, from their initial departure to reaching Patchogue, took approximately 8 hours and 14 minutes.

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These Vintage Photographs Show Construction on the New York City Subway Circa Early 1900s

2025-08-24T12:00:00-04:00

A collection of early images that show the construction and evolution of the New York City subways from 1900.

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[VIDEO] The Hidden Subway That New York Refuses to Build

2025-08-02T12:00:00-04:00

Gotta hand it to this QueensLink group for plugging away at this day after day. I had a great time researching this and heading down to visit the area, and you never know where this might end up. Also this video isn't sponsored I just like transit lol

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[VIDEO] New York's Lost Link to City Island

2025-07-31T12:00:00-04:00

The history of New York City’s lost City Island monorail is a fascinating chapter in urban planning that illustrates both ambition and failure. In the early 20th century, City Island—located in the Bronx—was a vibrant maritime community with limited transportation connections to the rest of New York. To address this, a bold plan was conceived in the early 1910s to link City Island to the mainland via a monorail. The project, officially called the Pelham Park and City Island Railroad, was envisioned as a cutting-edge transportation solution using elevated rail technology. The system was designed to stretch over the wetlands of Pelham Bay Park, reducing the need for more invasive infrastructure.

Construction began in 1910, and by 1914, a prototype was operational. However, it was short-lived. The monorail faced significant technical issues, including mechanical failures and derailments. Public skepticism and political opposition grew, and with World War I diverting resources and attention, the project was abandoned. City Island residents continued to rely on other modes of transportation, such as streetcars and ferries. Today, the remnants of the monorail are long gone, but its story remains a curious reminder of New York’s ambitious—yet sometimes impractical—transportation experiments.

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[WATCH] James May Races the New York Subway

2025-07-26T12:00:00-04:00

'There's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York' we were told. So we tried. I bet Lucy I could beat her from Battery Park to Central Park - me on a slightly rubbish rental bike, her on the infamous subway. 'These streets will make you feel brand new' we were told. That turned out not to be true. We both suffered...in different ways.

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