|
Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social institutions
|
Buy Now
The Wheels That Drove New York - A History of the New York City Transit System (Paperback, 2013 ed.)
Loot Price: R4,034
Discovery Miles 40 340
|
|
|
The Wheels That Drove New York - A History of the New York City Transit System (Paperback, 2013 ed.)
Series: Springer Tracts on Transportation and Traffic, 1
Expected to ship within 10 - 15 working days
|
The Wheels That Drove New York tells the fascinating story of how a
public transportation system helped transform a small trading
community on the southern tip of Manhattan island to a world
financial capital that is home to more than 8,000,000 people. From
the earliest days of horse-drawn conveyances to the wonders of one
of the world's largest and most efficient subways, the story links
the developing history of the City itself to the growth and
development of its public transit system. Along the way, the key
role of played by the inventors, builders, financiers, and managers
of the system are highlighted. New York began as a fur trading
outpost run by the Dutch West India Company, established after the
discovery and exploration of New York Harbor and its great river by
Henry Hudson. It was eventually taken over by the British, and the
magnificent harbor provided for a growing center of trade. Trade
spurred industry, initially those needed to support the shipping
industry, later spreading to various products for export. When
DeWitt Clinton built the Erie Canal, which linked New York Harbor
to the Great Lakes, New York became the center of trade for all
products moving into and out of the mid-west. As industry grew, New
York became a magnate for immigrants seeking refuge in a new land
of opportunity. The City's population continued to expand. Both
water and land barriers, however, forced virtually the entire
population to live south of what is now 14th Street. Densities grew
dangerously, and brought both disease and conflict to the poorer
quarters of the Five Towns. To expand, the City needed to conquer
land and water barriers, primarily with a public transportation
system. By the time of the Civil War, the City was at a breaking
point. The horse-drawn public conveyances that had provided all of
the public transportation services since the 1820's needed to be
replaced with something more effective and efficient. First came
the elevated railroads, initially powered by steam engines. With
the invention of electricity and the electric traction motor, the
elevated's were electrified, and a trolley system emerged. Finally,
in 1904, the City opened its first subway. From there, the City's
growth to northern Manhattan and to the "outer boroughs" of
Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx exploded. The Wheels That Drove New
York takes us through the present day, and discusses the many
challenges that the transit system has had to face over the years.
It also traces the conversion of the system from fully private
operations (through the elevated railways) to the fully public
system that exists today, and the problems that this transformation
has created along the way.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
|
You might also like..
|
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(3)
(1)
