This Fascinating New York Subway System Has Been Abandoned And Reclaimed By Nature For Decades Now
Did you know that Rochester used to have a subway? It’s true! The Rochester Industrial and Rapid Transit Railway was in operation from 1927 to 1956. It did well for a while, espeically during World War II, but eventually ridership decreased enough that the city decided to shut it down and to instead build a highway (I-490) to connect to the New York Thruway. However, even though it was shut down over 50 years ago, there’s still a lot of this abandoned subway in New York that remains. The city has filled in most of it and has developed on and around it, but some of it is just slowly being reclaimed by nature. Read on to learn more about it.
Note:Some of the photos below may show parts of the subway that no longer exist, as in recent years there has been much construction in and around former subway land. Some of the subway line does still exist, though, like the Broad Street Bridge.
The Rochester Subway was a light rail system that was about seven miles long at its peak. The majority was above ground, but two miles of it went undergound, so locals called it the subway no matter where they boarded or disembarked.
Rochester began planning the subway in 1910. Around that time, the Erie Canal was rerouted to go around the city, rather than through it; this project was completed by 1918. This gave the city the opportunity to turn the old canal into the subway. Construction began in 1921.
The Broad Street Bridge still stands and is a perfect example of this reuse. This bridge was first part of the Erie Canal; it took boats across the Genesee River. Next, it took subway cars over the river. Today, cars still drive across it on top.
When the subway finally opened in 1927, it was a big hit. It ran on current from overhead electrical wires. Five million people rode the Rochester Subway annually in 1946 and 1947, but soon, ridership declined quickly.
Although the subway was discontinued in 1956, some of the track was still used by freight trains until 1996. Today, most of the old subway has been filled in and buildings have been built in its place.
The Rochester Subway is a very interesting piece of New York history that many people do not know about. Today, it’s an interesting abandoned place to view and, if you’re brave, to explore. Be careful and obey all fences and No Trespassing signs.
