New York’s Lost Subway | The Secret Beneath Broadway

Before New York built its legendary subway system, an inventor quietly constructed a different kind of underground transit—powered not by electricity, but by air. In 1870, Alfred Ely Beach opened the Beach Pneumatic Transit beneath Broadway, a functioning subway that silently whisked passengers through a sealed tunnel using air pressure. It was revolutionary, popular—and ultimately, shut down.

This episode dives into the forgotten story of America’s earliest subway experiment, built in secret under Manhattan at a time when the city’s streets were choked with chaos. We’ll explore how political corruption, especially from Boss Tweed and Tammany Hall, crushed the project—and how the remains were unearthed decades later during construction of the modern subway system.

Discover the bold innovation that came before its time—and what might still be buried beneath New York’s streets. #ItsHistory #LostNYC #PneumaticSubway

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IT’S HISTORY - Weekly Tales of American Urban Decay as presented by your host Ryan Socash.

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» CREDIT
Scriptwriter - Ryan Socash
Editor - Karolina Szwata
Host - Ryan Socash
Music / Sound Design - Dave Daddario

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