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Mapping Local and Commuter Rail Transit in NYC: Rail Transit by Company

This guide covers how to research for maps related to subways and railroads in New York City within the Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal's Map Division.

About

Interborough rapid transit, title page1904This section organizes how to search for maps related to local and commuter rail transit in NYC, by company. In the drop-down menu, you will find the abbreviated names for these companies. Please click on the company of interest, to learn:

  • quick facts about the rail transit company and their years of operation 
  • tips on how to search the catalog for cartographic materials that show the rail lines associated with the company
  • a selection of cartographic materials that show the rail lines associated with the company
  • a list of supplementary resources at NYPL's Research Libraries

Please note that the names of rail companies are often initialed, such as:

Image Source: Interborough rapid transit, title page. 1904. NYPL Digital Collections Image ID 1113704

Note about Railway Companies and their Operations

Prior to the subways, elevated and surface lines were heavily utilized for commuters in New York City. While the first subway was officially launched in 1904 by the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), it is important to remember that elevated and surface lines were not completely replaced by this new form of rail transit.

As you can see below in this map from the early 20th century, the subway co-existed with elevated and surface lines. 

Map of Railroads in Manhattan, Jersey City, and Hoboken

Image Source: Railroads in Manhattan, Jersey City, and Hoboken. [191-]. NYPL Digital Collections Image ID 5122122

In addition, while many of the rail companies listed in this section operated subways, many also operated elevated and/or surface rails prior and after 1904. For instance, the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company was already operating elevated and surface rails long before the introduction of the subway in New York. As you can see from this map from approximately 1903, the existing commuter lines were far-reaching throughout the borough before the subway. 

Map of the borough of Brooklyn, N.Y., and vicinity showing the street railway system controlled by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Co. [1903]

Image Source: Map of the borough of Brooklyn, N.Y., and vicinity showing the street railway system controlled by the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Co. [1903] NYPL Digital Collections Image ID 5003296

With the subway's introduction in 1904, BRT would later become involved in creating the underground systems. For instance, 1914's "Rand, McNally's & Co.'s map of dual subway system" shows both the existing and proposed lines for elevated rails and subways that were being operated by the BRT and IRT. 

1914's "Rand, McNally's & Co.'s map of dual subway system

Today, while many people often refer to the MTA's lines as the "NYC Subway," these lines constitute a mixture of:

MTA Subway Map February 2023

  • elevated rails
    • Example:
      • 7 line is on an elevated track in Queens but underground in Manhattan
  • surface lines, and
    • Example:
      • Staten Island's SIR 
  • underground subways
    • Example:
      • N line is underground in Manhattan, but becomes elevated in Brooklyn and Queens

Image Source: MTA Site - Maps - Subway Map; February 2023 Edition