New York Transit Museum
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Ever wonder how the New York subway system grew to be the most extensive public transportation system in the world? At the New York Transit Museum, you can explore its humble beginnings in 1869 by Alfred Ely Beach to being among one of the ten busiest systems in the world, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Housed in the now defunct Court Street Station in Brooklyn, the museum displays subway memorabilia, heritage signage, models and dioramas of subway and bus equipment, and also sponsors lectures and seminars. Explore the technological, cultural, and social history of the subway through exhibits like Steel, Stone and Backbone, which recounts the story of building the system, or On the Streets, which features the story of NYC’s trolleys and buses.
Before your visit, be sure to check out their ever-changing listings of ongoing and upcoming events!
Planning a trip to New York? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the New York Travel Blog.
[…] Speaking of museums, Jamie at the Explorer Pass Blog wrote about the New York Transit Museum. […]
[…] the Explorer Pass Blog tells us about the most extensive public train system in the world, and the New York Transit Museum, which is housed in an old subway station. Probably worth a visit on your next trip to the […]
Dear Jamie,
I read your story on the New York Transit Museum and thought your readers might be interested in the following free exhibit and lecture.
If you need additional information please let me know.
Thanks in advance for considering the attached materials.
All the best,
Roxanne Robertson
Director, Special Projects
New York Transit Museum
130 Livingston Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 694-4915
A Railroad Reborn: Metro-North at 25
February 12, 2008 through June 1, 2008
New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex in Grand Central Terminal
And
“It’s Electric!”
Free Lecture on the AC electrification of the Railroad
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Grand Central Terminal’s North East Balcony
The creation of MTA Metro-North Railroad in 1983, ushered in a new era in commuter travel transporting over 1.6 billion passengers. Over the past 25 years, Metro-North has revitalized the New Haven, Harlem and Hudson commuter lines by updating rolling stock, renovating historic stations and lines, and building new facilities. Also impressive is the increase in yearly rider ship that increased from 48 million 25 years ago to commuter numbers currently approaching 80 million annual riders. Metro-North has a history that it can be proud of and to celebrate its 25th year in operation, the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex is presenting A Railroad Reborn: Metro-North at 25, on exhibition from February 12, 2008 through June 1, 2008. Through images and artifacts from the Museum’s collection and on loan from the railroad, “A Railroad Reborn” presents a comprehensive retrospective of how far the railroad has come.
The New York Transit Museum is also presenting a free lecture, It’s Electric, a presentation on the now historic efforts to the AC electrification of the railroad on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Northeast balcony of Grand Central Terminal. It’s Electric examines the first regular train to be operated under electric power completed a trip from Grand Central to New Rochelle on July 24, 1907. This pioneering effort of the AC electrification of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad set the standard for 20th century railroad electrification in the U.S. In conjunction with the Transit Museum’s exhibition marking the 25th Anniversary of Metro-North Railroad, engineering historian Joseph Cunningham and Robert Walker, Metro-North’s director – power systems (1983-1997), and current Metro-North director operating capital projects, will discuss the evolution of the system and its reconstruction.
Admission to A Railroad Reborn: Metro-North at 25, located in the New York Transit Museum’s Gallery Annex next to the station master’s office is free and is open Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (212) 878-0801 or log onto www.mta.info/museum.
Attached images:
Masons Repairing the Garrison Bridge c. 1991
Credit: Photograph by Frank English
Grand Central Terminal Renovation c. 1997
Credit: Photograph by Frank English
*** two images available upon request