New York City Subway construction and system consolidation (1900–1940)

1. Contract 1 signed for first subway line

   Feb 21, 1900Labels: Contract 1, August Belmont

   • NYC Subway Hist
   • IRT Early Hist

2. Groundbreaking begins construction at City Hall

   Mar 24, 1900Labels: City Hall, Subway construction

   • ASCE Landmark
   • NYCSubway Ch13

3. First IRT subway opens to the public

   Oct 27, 1904Labels: IRT, City Hall

   • LOC Film
   • IRT Early Hist

4. Dual Contracts signed to massively expand service

   Mar 19, 1913Labels: Dual Contracts, IRT, BRT

   • Dual Contracts
   • NYC Subway Hist

5. BRT begins Centre Street Loop service to Chambers

   Aug 4, 1913Labels: BRT, Centre Street

   • Nassau Line
   • NYC Subway Hist

6. Lexington Avenue Line opens, reshaping IRT routes

   Jul 17, 1918Labels: Lexington Avenue, IRT

   • Lex 51 St
   • NYCSubway 1918

7. Montague Street Tunnel opens, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan

   Aug 1, 1920Labels: Montague Street, BMT

   • Montague Tunnel
   • Dual Contracts

8. BMT formed from BRT assets after bankruptcy

   Jun 15, 1923Labels: BMT, BRT bankruptcy

   • BMT Corp
   • NYC Subway Hist

9. New York City Board of Transportation begins operations

   Jun 1, 1924Labels: Board of, New York

   • NYC BOT
   • NYC Subway Hist

10. Nassau Street Loop completed under Lower Manhattan

    May 29, 1931Labels: Nassau Street, BMT

    • Nassau Line
    • Fulton St Nassau

11. City-owned IND begins service on Eighth Avenue Line

    Sep 10, 1932Labels: IND, Eighth Avenue

    • IND System
    • 8th Ave Line

12. IND Cranberry Street Tunnel opens to Brooklyn

    Feb 1, 1933Labels: Cranberry Street, IND

    • 8th Ave Line
    • IND System

13. City takes over IRT and BMT, unifying operations

    Jun 1, 1940Labels: City takeover, IRT, BMT

    • NYC BOT
    • ASCE Landmark

14. IND Sixth Avenue Line opens, completing a major trunk

    Dec 15, 1940Labels: Sixth Avenue, IND

    • 6th Ave Line
    • NYCSubway 6th