In the mid 1800s, New York City was one of the most crowded places on earth. The congested streets and pokey transportation system were a source of constant complaint. In March 1888, a ferocious blizzard ground the city to a halt, bringing the transportation crisis to a peak. On March 24, 1900, ground was broken for the Big Apple's subway; the Interborough Rapid Transit Line opened four years later, running more than 26 miles of underground track at the unheard of speed of 35 miles per hour. Soon thousands in the city were "doing the subway."
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"...express-train account of the building of the subway..." - New York Times
"...told in the best 'American Experience' manner." - New York Times
"...one of humanity's great engineering achievements..." - New York Daily News
"...moves through the story chronologically, weaving together archival artwork, rare film clips, still photos and interview segments with historians and subway aficionados." - New York Daily News
"Comments and readings by E.L. Doctorow and Caleb Carr...help establish the times and circumstances of the subways' construction." - New York Daily News
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