Download PDF The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City's Unbuilt Subway System

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The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City's Unbuilt Subway System

Download PDF The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City's Unbuilt Subway System

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Review

“This is an extraordinary and magisterial book, the product of years of diligent research on a topic that has been almost completely ignored, but one central to the understanding of the evolution of New York City in the twentieth century.” (―Peter Eisenstadt author of Rochdale Village: Robert Moses, 6,000 Families, and New York City's Great Experiment in Integrated Housing)“The Routes Not Taken is a fascinating look at what did not happen with the New York City subway system and why. Joseph Raskin provides detailed accounts of why several subway lines that have been long needed and desired―such as one in the northeast Bronx and one across Queens and Brooklyn―never got built. The stories are full of twists and turns as politicians, business interests, civic groups, transit advisors and engineers all argue over which line is needed, what the specifics of its route should be, and even if it should be done ahead of another line. The Routes Not Taken is engrossing but ultimately dispiriting. One comes away from reading Mr. Raskin’s book with a sense of awe that New York City has a subway system of any kind and extent given the numerous competing forces that have cancelled each other out in the past.” (―Paul Shaw Author of Helvetica and the New York City Subway System: The True (Maybe) Story)“Joseph B. Raskin’s parents never owned a car, and so the New York subway system perhaps played an outsize role in shaping his worldview. In The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City’s Unbuilt Subway System (Fordham University Press), Mr. Raskin draws on this perspective to provide an insightful look at the what-might-have-beens of urban mass transit. The first subway, the IRT from City Hall to West 145th Street, was built in four and a half years. That pace has rarely been equaled in the century since. Consider that the Second Avenue subway, the first segment of which is to open in 2016, was envisioned in 1929. Why were certain lines elevated ― and later demolished ― instead of buried? Mr. Raskin, the assistant director of government and community relations for New York City Transit, dusts off old blueprints of lines that were never built or never completed, explaining how the system shaped urban development and how political and economic forces conspired to create today’s subways. If only the Transit Construction Commission’s 1920 plan had been adopted: a $350 million, 20-year blueprint that would have provided a grid of subway lines covering all five boroughs and provided for a city with a population even bigger than today’s." (―Sam Roberts The New York Times)“The New York subway is a source of basic mobility in the world’s greatest city, but there remains much to be learned about why it came to be and how it functions. Raskin has given us a book that places all of our factual and historical narratives in a much larger context―what might have been, what could have been, and, perhaps, what should have been.” (―Brian J. Cudahy A Century of Subways: Celebrating 100 Years of New York’s Underground Railways)In presenting lively...case studies of what he regards as the most important unbuilt lines, Mr. Raskin encourages his readers to think about the adaptable nature of the city. (―Wall Street Journal)Apart from sheer enjoyment, this book underscores how radically decisions about transit shape property values, commerce, neighborhoods, and people. (―Choice Magazine)

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About the Author

Joseph B. Raskin is an independent scholar. He is widely regarded as an authority on unbuilt subway systems, on which he has been interviewed by the New York Times. He recently retired as Assistant Director of Government and Community Relations for MTA New York City Transit.

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Product details

Paperback: 336 pages

Publisher: Empire State Editions; Reprint edition (September 1, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 9780823267408

ISBN-13: 978-0823267408

ASIN: 0823267407

Product Dimensions:

9.7 x 0.7 x 6.2 inches

Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review:

3.8 out of 5 stars

36 customer reviews

Amazon Best Sellers Rank:

#139,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

I've been waiting for a book like this for a long time, and I was so excited to learn of it. And so my disappointment in the actual result was profound. While it's clear that Raskin knows the stories of the unbuilt lines in tremendous (even excessive) detail, the organization of the book is baffling, and the lack of maps and legible diagrams is unforgivable--especially since Raskin refers to the lines by their historic names (e.g., the Sea Beach Line instead of the N). This is an understandable decision, but it must make the book daunting for those who haven't internalized the old names. A list of lines and names in the back helps a little, but a map or series of maps would have made a huge difference.I know maps are expensive and that old ones often don't reproduce well. But Raskin needed to make the investment in new drawings to illustrate much of what he talks about. I'm very familiar with New York's transit geography, but I repeatedly had to go to other sources to figure out what he was referring to. The narrative structure is equally baffling, with stories coming and going in no particular chronological order. I can't imagine what a more casual reader would make of this.I really wanted to love this book, but I think only the most diehard of NYC railfans will get through this happily.

For anyone with a serious interest in the history of the New York City subway system, this book is a must have. The book cites many important references to substantiate the text in the book. It is a little disappointing that the book did not include discussions of the earlier steam and elevated. For example, The suburban extensions of the Manhattan elevated lines were never built, as shown on the February 1879 map in Harper's Weekly. When Brooklyn West End line was elevated, why was the route changed from that of the original surface line? One very perplexing question relates to the original 1885 Brooklyn elevated line (the "Old Main Line"). The Brooklyn Bridge construction began in the mid-1870's, and it was opened in 1883. Construction for the old Main Line must have begun in the early 1880's, when the Brooklyn approaches to the bridge must have been well known. So why was the terminus of the Old Main Line not re-routed from the Fulton Ferry to the Brooklyn Bridge approach?The book is replete with many logical examples of new routes, and route extensions that would have been highly beneficial to the riders of the New York City subways, but were never built, or as in the case of the Second Avenue Subway which is finally being built, is the subject of many cost saving measures, that limits its usefulness.However, one thing that detracts from the book is the poor quality of some of its illustrations.All-in-all, this book is an important addition the libraries of people with serious interest in the history of the New York subways.

Having been a subway rider and subway fan since the fifties, I always used to look out the front window whenever I could. Unfortunately full width cabs make that impossible now, but that's a different story. I always used to see those unused ramps and platforms and structures that should have had tracks but didn't. This book answered all my questions and filled in all the blanks. The quality of the many maps was disappointing, but maybe that's just in the kindle edition. This book is a "must read" for any NY Subway aficionado.

A thoroughly researched book rich in footnotes. The theme is largely political showing the conflicts between proposed routes, construction (subway vs. el), real estate developers vs. riders, private management (IRT and BMT) vs. city constructed and managed. (IND), and the conflicts between state and city. There were endless and enervating political delays which delayed construction of new routes for decades. The impacts of the great depression and WW2 are well drawn. One is impressed at the power held by various mayors, Robert Moses, and administrators who were advancing their own political agendas at the expense of sound economic and engineering considerations. These factors persist to this day. It is a wonder that the LIRR to the eastside, the extension of the 7 to the westside , and the initial phase of the 2nd avenue subway are underway despite the political and economic environment.On the negative side, the maps and figures are often poor copies barely readable with a magnifying glass. I wish for clearer and, perhaps, redrawn supporting artifacts.

A great read for rail historians, as well as anyone interested in NYC transportation history. Politics and dreams, along with a little insight, keeps it interesting.

I am a NYC history buff and have read a great deal on the history of the subway so I while I was expecting another perspective on NYC subway history, this was very disappointing. It turned out to be more of a detailed chronicle of transportation legislation. This can be very very dry if you are expecting to learn about actual subway history. Moreover it is more about discussions about about legislation in the form of sometimes very long quotes taken directly from minutes of meetings and reports which seems more like a short-cut the author decided to take rather than describe in a concise narrative. In fact for the most part I found the author's writing style often rambling and disjointed, turning from a discussion of a proposed route to the eastern Bronx to suddenly a route in Brooklyn. Since none of these routes were actually built, this, combined with the author's inability to compose in a clear, concise, and most of all engaging manner make for a very disappointing ead.

Learned about this book, when the author was giving the interview to MNN. Great and very informative read, filled with details about subway history in NY. if you are interested in the megalopolis infrastructure history, or have a thing for subway - it's a must read. Even in times of google - this amount of information so well organized and narrated is extremely valuable.

Very interesting for historical survey of NYC growth. Good transit buff satisfaction too.

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The Routes Not Taken: A Trip Through New York City's Unbuilt Subway System PDF