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722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York Paperback – July 13, 2004

by Clifton Hood (Author)

24 customer reviews

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When it first opened on October 27, 1904, the New York City subway ran twenty-two miles from City Hall to 145th Street and Lenox Avenue―the longest stretch ever built at one time. From that initial route through the completion of the IND or Independent Subway line in the 1940s, the subway grew to cover 722 miles―long enough to reach from New York to Chicago.

In this definitive history, Clifton Hood traces the complex and fascinating story of the New York City subway system, one of the urban engineering marvels of the twentieth century. For the subway's centennial the author supplies a new foreward explaining that now, after a century, "we can see more clearly than ever that this rapid transit system is among the twentieth century's greatest urban achievements."

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Editorial Reviews

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"One of the best urban-transportation histories to come down the tracks in a long time."

About the Author

Clifton Hood is associate professor of history at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York. He was formerly a curator of the LaGuardia Archives at LaGuardia College, City University of New York.

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press; Centennial edition (July 13, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0801880548
ISBN-13: 978-0801880544
Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 24 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #452,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #145 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Transportation > History > Railroads
- #238 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Transportation > Railroads
- #2438 in Books > Science & Math > History & Philosophy

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Tech Artisan

A Journal of a Massive Public Works Project

January 27, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

For any student of public infrastructure in major cities of the world, this chronicle of the building of New York's rapid transit subway system is a must-read. From the germ of an idea based on similar attempts all over the globe, to the planning and construction of the multi-layered system of tracks, tunnels, signals and stations that make up New York's 722-mile system, the world's longest, are discussed with both passion and detail. Clearly Clifton Hood has a feel for his subject, and this reader was caught up in that sweeping enthusiasm. The City of New York grew exponentially in the years following the opening of the first subway line in 1904, expanding the population through the five boroughs and creating one of the largest cities in the entire world. Many of those subway lines continue to serve the public today, having been upgraded as technology changed. Truly a testament to the visionaries and those many thousands of citizens who could support their vision financially and with the hard labor required to build what is truly a Wonder of the World.

6 people found this helpful

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Robert in NY

Wonderful History of NYC's Public Transportation System

July 25, 2011

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Having lived in NYC most of my life, I wanted to find a book which provided a comprehensive overview of the development of our public transit network, from the omnibus of the Civil War era to the present period. This book does it, and without running to encyclopedic length (its about 260 pages, not counting about 50 pages of supportive notes/footnotes).

A good deal of attention is given to the political machinations which were of such importance in building our current complex route system, including unfortunate gaffs, payoffs and a frequent lack of vision. (Editorial note: What we have is wonderful; what we might have had would be a marvel (like the rest of America, NYC has a history of periodic distain for public transit infrastructure development, preferring instead to nurture a love affair with the automobile - think Robert Moses).

The book also emphasizes the impact of subway extensions from lower Manhattan into the upper reaches of the borough (Washington Heights, Inwood etc), as well as Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. At least for a NYer, this is fascinating stuff, and the author uses examples, such as Jackson Heights in Queens, to illustrate the "before and after" impact of bringing multiple lines into what were farmlands and open fields just 100 years ago. The author provides lots of interesting and supportive statistics. There is also an excellent index along with over 50 pages of source footnotes.

The only real failing of the book is a lack of decent maps and a curious avoidance of using current line designations (ie, E train, #7 line etc) to quickly identify line routes as they were built in spurts starting in about 1900), preferring instead to use the old general designations (like IRT, BMT, IND), which no one under 60 remembers.

There are some photos, but they are few and of inferior quality. (See online sites like Museum of the City of NY, NY Historical Society, NYPL, NYC Transit Museum etc for great photo collections). There are also many books in print with photos of various facets of NYC transit history.

Bottom line though, I highly recommend this work. If it had decent maps, I'd give it 5 stars.

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BunnyFooFoo

Centennial Edition, Published 2004 is missing 34 pages!

December 25, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Reading towards the end, the book skipped from page 207 to page 241! This made it a little hard to follow in the continuity of the timeline the book is about. Otherwise, the book merits three stars, as it reads like a dissertation (which it essentially is). The "updated" version does not add much. The missing pages are a printing error, not a physical error. Amazon has amazing customer service and accepted a return, even after the return period was past (four stars for Amazon customer service!).

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Jonathan A. Titus

Lacks engineering information

February 7, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I expected more about the engineering. Lots of politics, which I found dull reading.

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Tucson Tom

Oh, this is an amazing book for people who are interested in the history of New York City

December 16, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The narrative of how New York went from horse drawn transit to "cinder-steam" to high speed electric is fully absorbing.

Very engrossing story! The virtual overnight transformation puts a smile on your face.

AND THEN, along came Mayor Hylan ... they named Hylan Boulevard on Staten Island for him.

What a mess he made!

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SweetTKira

A Must Read for Train Enthusiasts

March 18, 2014

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

An Insightful History of How the People of the City that Never Sleeps Got Around.
Ever wonder why Queens is isolated from Brooklyn by rail... read this.

2 people found this helpful

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January 20, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Great publication. Very detailed in the development of the New York City subways.

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July 11, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Social histories such as this are very useful compilations of the many disparate sources of info. Labours of love.
Some readers might wish for full details of every type of rolling stock used, motor control gear, air brakes etc., but the social history is often neglected.
722 miles will stand comparison with "the Subterranean Railway" by Christian Wolmar, on the London underground.

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Most recent customer reviews

Amazon Customer

again with the politics of New York City, We ...

again with the politics of New York City, We haven't stopped bickering but we got things done much faster back then.

Published 4 months ago

Amazon Customer

No pictures, but still interesting.

Bought it as a gift for my son, who lives in the Philadelphia suburbs but has as life-long interest in the NY subways.

Published on March 16, 2016

Allison Potter

Five Stars

Good price, fast delivery.

Published on November 24, 2014

Richard D. Draper

Five Stars

Read it.

Published on September 20, 2014

Claude Wilson

Book Received

I am yet to read this book as I haqve had a number of books before still to be read. I am howver, going to love my books as I always ordered exactly what grab my interest.Read more

Published on June 23, 2013

R. Resor

The subways and the transformation of New York

I worked for the New York City transit system (then known as the New York City Transit Authority) from 1982 to 1987, so I had an "up close and personal" look at what it takes to...Read more

Published on December 28, 2012

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