New York City Subway Mad Old, Formerly Run On Fans

by Liz Colville

The first New York City subway line opened 106 years ago today. That explains a lot! The IRT had 28 stops beginning at City Hall and ending at 145th Street and Broadway. But there was an even earlier system begun in the 1870s that ran an exasperatingly long route of 312 feet. And was propelled by a fan.