Customer Reviews

Street Surface Railway Franchises of New York City

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Considering that New York city was first in the world with street railroads/trams in city streets it is surprising to find out that there is no "definitive" book on the subject! Yes, there are some books on parts of the streetcar history in NYC, but no comprehensive work on the whole network and especially no book that outline the history of the early horse railroads in the city. Luckily there is this reprint of Carmans book from the second decade of the 20th century. Here one can learn of the many different street railroad companies that once filled the avenues of Manhattan with horsecars. It is no book for those who want pictures and general stories, rather for the "fact buffs" who want to know exactly what company leased another, and when... The reason why this book once was written is interesting though, because it had to do with the debate on public ownership of transit that was vivid at the time (and still is). It is also interesting to learn about the changing franchising policy of the authorities in New York during the 19th century (sometimes including downright fraud and bribery!) that had effects on the streetcar developement for many many decades afterwards! The book has two minuses to this reader: firstly, the maps of the routes of the different companys that are included are much too small in scale to funcion properly, and secondly: it would be a big asset if someone could supplement the original text in the next printing with the actual dates of opening of the streetcar routes -- this is surprisingly lacking now despite the details the author goes to in the more juridical matters.