| Staten Island Rapid Transit Contributor(s): Pitanza, Marc (Author) |
|
 |
ISBN: 1467123382 ISBN-13: 9781467123389 Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (SC) OUR PRICE: $22.49 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: June 2015 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | United States - State & Local - Middle Atlantic (dc, De, Md, Nj, Ny, Pa) - Transportation | Railroads - History - Transportation | Railroads - Pictorial |
| Series: Images of Rail |
| Physical Information: 0.4" H x 6.5" W x 9.1" (0.70 lbs) 128 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Staten Island's first railroad began in 1860 as a passenger line connecting towns along the island's eastern shore, with ferry service from Vanderbilt's Landing to Manhattan. The Staten Island Rapid Transit was a second line, built in 1885. During the 19th century, major eastern trunk railroads competed for the New York freight market. The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O) was a latecomer but saw opportunity with Staten Island in 1886, buying interest in both railroads. The B&O took control of the island's passenger service and turned it into a thriving commuter railroad with three branches and nearly 40 stations, forever changing transportation in the borough. Reaching Staten Island from Cranford, New Jersey, the B&O built a major freight yard at Arlington and a waterfront terminal at St. George. The railroad's customers ran the gamut from large industries like Procter & Gamble to small one-carload coal dealerships. By 1971, the cash-strapped B&O sold the passenger service to the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA), and by 1985, the B&O had left New York for good. |
Contributor Bio(s): Pitanza, Marc: - Marc Pitanza grew up on Staten Island and became fascinated by the railroad that served his hometown. Since 2009, he has lectured extensively on the line and now presents a visual tour using images from the collections of some of New York's best rail photographers. |