What is the history of the New York subway system?

The New York subway system is one of the oldest and most extensive public transportation systems in the world. It began as a vision of entrepreneur Alfred Ely Beach, who opened a short-lived pneumatic subway in 1870. However, the first true subway line was built by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT), which opened the city's first underground line in 1904.

Over the years, the subway system grew and expanded, with new lines and stations added to serve the city's growing population. The privately owned IRT was eventually merged with the city-owned Independent Subway System (IND) and the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) to form the modern-day New York City Subway system in 1940.

Throughout its history, the New York subway system has played a vital role in the city's growth and development. It has been the subject of numerous books, movies, and songs, and it continues to be an essential part of daily life for millions of New Yorkers and visitors.

The New York City Subway is one of the oldest public transit systems in the world, one of the most-used, and the one with the most stations, with 472 stations in operation (424, if stations connected by transfers are counted as single stations).

The first underground line opened on October 27, 1904, almost 35 years after the opening of the first elevated line in New York City, the West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway, which became the IRT Ninth Avenue Line. By the time the first subway opened, the lines had been consolidated into two privately owned systems, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT, later Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation, BMT) and the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT). After 1913, all lines built for the IRT and most lines for the BRT were built by the city and leased to the companies.

Planning for the system began with the Rapid Transit Act, authorized by the New York State Legislature on May 22, 1894, which created the Board of Rapid Transit Railroad Commissioners. The act provided that the commission would lay out routes with the consent of property owners and local authorities, either build the system or sell a franchise for its construction, and lease the operation to a private firm. A line through Lafayette Street (then Elm Street) to Union Square was considered, but at first a more costly route under lower Broadway was adopted.

The first line of the city-owned and operated Independent Subway System (IND) opened in 1932. This system was intended to compete with the private systems and allow some of the elevated railways to be torn down but stayed within the core of the city due to its small startup capital.

In 1940, the IRT and BMT were leased to the city and merged into the IND to form the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA). The NYCTA has operated the subway system ever since.

The subway system has undergone many changes over the years, including the addition of new lines, stations, and trains. The most recent major expansion was the opening of the Second Avenue Subway in 2017.

The subway system is an essential part of New York City's transportation infrastructure. It provides a vital link between the city's boroughs and helps to reduce traffic congestion. The subway system is also a popular tourist destination, with millions of people riding it each year.