Customer Reviews

Rails Under the Mighty Hudson: The Story of the Hudson Tubes, the Pennsylvania Tunnels, and Manhattan Transfer (Hudson Valley Heritage Series)

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I have always enjoyed Brian J. Cudahy's books. "The Malbone Street Wreck" was a sobering look at the disaster that befell the subway line in 1918. And last year's "A Century of Subways: Celebrating 100 Years of New York's Underground Railways" was just the opposite: it was a joyful, admiring look at the making of the subway system in New York, and tracked its progress through the 20th century.

I eagerly picked up this reprint of his 1975 book "Rails Under the Mighty Hudson: The Story of the Hudson Tubes, the Pennsy Tunnels and Manhattan Transfer" and was not disappointed. Briefly, this book describes the historical need for these tubes, the technological requirements, the difficulties in construction, and the dramatic effects they had upon completion. Villains and heroes abound, as they will in any tale of expensive public works, but they are relegated to a second-tier, as Cudahy's obvious admiration for this effort takes precedence. Comparisons to the Erie Canal are not far-fetched when describing the success of these tubes, and it is not far-fetched to say that only Brian Cudahy's passion for his subject makes this book one of the greatest about railroads, in general. The smattering of gorgeous photographs are gravy!

This is a wonderful little book that does a marvelous job of introducing the reader to the building and development of the rail tunnels from New Jersey, under the Hudson, into New York City. While it is not a detailed history of the work, it is very well written, engaging, and absolutely enchanting. I highly recommend it.

Rails Under The Mighty Hudson: The Story Of The Hudson Tubes, The Pennsy Tunnels, And Manhattan Transfer by author and transportation expert Brian J. Cudahy is the true history of the construction of railway tunnels linking New Jersey and New York. Black-and-white photographs enrich this meticulous, thorough accounting of a turn-of-the-century engineering marvel that helped transform America into the modern engine of transportation and mass production that it is today. Rails Under The Mighty Hudson is a meticulously researched and deftly written addition to any personal, academic, and community library railroad history reference collections.

This story begins in the final years of the 19th century, when the first attempts to build rail tunnels under the Hudson were ending. Two of the tunnels were built by one company, the other by a competing railroad company. Brian Cadahy's new edition of Rails Under The Mighty Hudson is updated with more photos and a new preface and chapter of recent events.

A very interesting and comprehensive work.
My main interest was on Hudson tunnels but I discovered an amazing story about Pennsylvania Station in NY and about Manhattan Transfer in NJ (a station that is completely isolated from its surroundings, to be reached by train only!). I recommend it.