Beach Pneumatic Transit
| Beach Pneumatic Transit | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Photograph c.1873 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Demolished | ||
| Owner | Beach Pneumatic Transit Company | ||
| Locale | New York City, United States | ||
| Termini |
| ||
| Stations | 1 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Atmospheric railway | ||
| Operator(s) | Beach Pneumatic Transit Company | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | February 26, 1870 | ||
| Closed | April, 1873 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 300 ft (90 m) | ||
| Number of tracks | Single track | ||
| Character | Underground | ||
| |||
The Beach Pneumatic Transit was the first attempt to build an underground public transit system in New York City. It was developed by Alfred Ely Beach in 1869 as a demonstration subway line running on pneumatic power. The line had one stop in the basement of the Rogers Peet Building, near the old City Hall station, and a one-car shuttle running between the building and a dead end approximately 300 feet (91 m) away. It was not a regular mode of transportation and lasted from 1870 until 1873.