Transit News and Industry

Heavy Rapid Transit Emphasis

  • Huge Subway Fan Site. Much information about the New York City subway system and numerous photos or New York, U.S. and international systems (mainly current) are at nycsubway.org, by David Pirmann .
  • NYC Subway History, including photos, roster information, BAHN subway route simulations and much  more at the JoeKorner from Joseph Korman ..
  • The Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corp . was, arguably, the leading light of the American transit industry. Jim Poulos ' bmt-lines.com site contains much of interest, including photos, annual reports, maps, stock certificates, articles and ephemera..
  • Chicago has the nation's second largest rapid transit system and one of the most historic and interesting, extensively covered by Graham Garfield's chicago-l.org
  • Toronto's huge and diverse system might loom larger in the public consciousness if it were in the U.S. instead of Canada. James Bow's article-oriented Transit Toronto site includes much of interest, both current and historical, plus many relevant links..
  • Abandoned Subway Stations in New York City are covered in intense detail with a special historical perspective at Joseph's Brennan's extensively redesigned site.
  • The Beach Penumatic Railway, New York's first (and "secret") subway is entertainly covered at this "Useless Information Site" with photos and additional links. More Beach Pneumatic at Frédéric Delaitre's Lost Subways pages.

Light Rail Emphasis

Broad Electric Railway Emphasis

  • The 65-year-old Electric Railroader's Associaton has finally checked in with its own website, electricrailroaders.org, professionally designed by Sandy Campbell.
  • Paul Weyrich is a nationally prominent conservative and publisher of the web-revived New Electric Railway Journal, presenting news and advocacy of electric rail.

Alternative Transit Emphasis

  • Inclines and other cable and funicular railways have limited utility, but in certain settings, they're the best at what they do, as in the historic Duquesne Incline in Pittsburgh.

Advocacy

  • Carbusters.org is "the grassroots network of the global car-free movement." The site includes articles, links and other resources, including source documents.

Other Historical and Antiquarian Interest

  • Forgotten-ny.com is a must-see site for anyone interested in learning what survives of New York City's history today. Host Kevin Walsh has assembled fascinating photos and text, chronicling those special sites you hope will still be there to see next year.
  • lirrhistory.com by Bob Andersen is your first stop for history and information on the nation's largest commuter railroad, The Long Island Rail Road.
  • Arthur Huneke's "Online Museum of the Long Island Rail Road" combines his weallth of knowledge with his incredible collection of maps, photos and memorabilia.
  • urbanography from the editors of rapidtransit.net, explores urban history not primarily involved with rails or rapid transit
  • oldnyc.com from Thomas Scannello, another new site with an unusual emphasis — illustrated explorations of abandoned rail rights-of-way 

Photos, Video and Books

  • Chicago transit professional David Harrison has many stills from his "Chicago L Video Odyssey " videotapes. Be sure to click the "Next Page" link at the bottom of each page for more beautiful views.
  • Books and Photographs of old Brooklyn (mostly 1920s-1960s) are available through Brian Merlis' BrooklynPix.com

Rapid Transit Models

  • Rapid transit modeling has come a long way since Silver Leaf days. Both home built and commercial models are featured at the NYC Model Transit Association site.
  • "O" Scale modeling is especially suited to rapid transit modeling to recreate realistic equipment and strcutures. Beautiful examples are at the NYC Model Transit El site from Joseph Frank. Also, Flickr Photo Album.

Highway History and Infrastructure

Rail Links

Press Coverage

  • All About Transit, Not Only For Buffs, describing rapidtransit.net was featured in the New York OnLine column of The New York Times for Sunday, January 9, 2000. (There is no charge to register to view this article and other Times online materials.)
  • Paul Matus, editor of The Third Rail, was featured on Metro TV's Gotham TV video magazine, which highlights unique New Yorkers' exploits. Originally aired August 6, 2001, it will rerun in rotation with other subjects over several months.
  • The Third Rail's editor provides historical details and is quoted in Randy Kennedy's Tunnel Vision Column on the IND in The New York Times, August 21, 2001.

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Updated Saturday, November 29, 2003