This episode is from the WNYC archives. It may contain language which is no longer politically or socially appropriate.

William Reid, the Chairman of the Board of Transportation of the City of New York gives a brief and compelling history of transit in New York City. He begins with the orgainzation in 1864 of the subway company and moves on to 1866 with the passing of a law to create an elevated railroad. Reid describes the failures of the elevated railroad - hot cinders and live coals falling down on pedestrians from above and an excess of smoke, fumes and ashes.

He goes on to detail the 1891 Rapid Transit Law that asserted all rapid transit should be owned by the city. Reid then moves rapidly through the creation dates of the IRT (1904), the BMT (1913) and the creation of the Board of Transportation (1924). He fast forwards to the city's 1947 acquisition of bus companies in all boroughs and the unification of all transit into the MTA. By the time of this 1948 recording, the Board of Transportation had grown to include 40,000 associates. Reid ends his speech saying that the city is embarking on a new era in transportation and mentions the need for an east side subway line.

Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection

WNYC archives id: 71862
Municipal archives id: LT5438