104th Street curve, New York, elevated railway

[travelsonic]

"

NOTES

Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 22Apr1899; 27964. "

Unless the estate extended the copyrights, it is now public domain / has been for a long while.

[JohnnyT002]

You can still see how the buildings on 110th Street and Columbus Ave are built around the El train turning there.

[YANKEEBOY114]

@JohnnyT002

Really? Wow, that's awesome, where do you see that buildings curve? I've been there many times and I've never noticed.

[JohnnyT002]

@YANKEEBOY114  Yes the buildings are on an angle plus the stores on 110th and Columbus ave are still street level since the EL train passed over them. It was the same with on 8th ave till they put those tall buildings there..I was also able to find some pictures of the area when the EL did run there.

[backintheday1940]

iacomastro--your comment moves me as much as this wonderful old film does. I love to think of what's happening behind windows in old, old photographs. It's a splendid form of reverie. Thank you for mentioning it. @And thank you, uncommonplacebook. This is a very evocative piece of film.

[priscianusjr]

I rode on the Myrtle Avenue El once in 1957 with a school friend of mine. It was an open-gate car (so called BU car, of course motorized). We asked the motorman how fast it could go, and I still remember his answer: "Oh, it can go very fast all right. Any fool can drive one of these things -- but it takes a motorman to know how to stop one" The Myrtle Avenue line was the last in the USA still using gated cars.

[MrMeaty727]

i like the sign@ 18 seconds.

[Redbirdfan33]

@MrMeaty727 lol

[Wehategod]

That is the ninth Ave EL

[eddie1967]

I think this is the 110th street curve on the 8th avenue el...?

[JohnnyT002]

@eddie1967 Yes I do beleive it is the 110th street curve before they added the 110th street station. I have seen still photos of this area with the station and with out the 110th St station.

[iacomastro]

Calling it "Fascinating" is not enough: think of all that people, died long ago, and think of all them living behind the little windows you can see from the train... Try to think you are one of them looking through those windows.

Waiting to see the train, maybe.

[sawyergarpy]

@iacomastro a  wonderful poignant remark

[iacomastro]

@sawyergarpy Thanks.  I love old footages...

[ilove1994]

wares the piano music ? .

[M1903A1]

Fascinating...no comparable footage of the Chicago "L" (in its steam era) is known to exist.

[Ortzmet]

I think we still use those same cars, only they were better then -- as they weren't filled with the filth of ages.

[freereeder]

I presume you're kidding about sill using them, tho those cars did survive for many years, last used (still with gates) on Brooklyn's Myrtle Av. El 'til about 1957 I think, but also upgraded with enclosed vestibules on the various Els and on the Flushing line. All were electrified by that time, of course.

[priscianusjr]

Sorry (see below), I meant, "to go EAST on 110th St."

[priscianusjr]

No, Eriswen, the 6th ave L joinedthe 9th ave L much further downtown at 53d st.

[priscianusjr]

On 110th st. straightaway, note. no sta.; built later, opened 10/27/04. First 40 secs of film MAY be the 53d st junction, since tracks switch in from right onto what may be the northbound 9th avenue line.

[priscianusjr]

But title is wrong. First 39 secs is 1 thing; the rest is the 110th st. curve. 104th st. (not shown) was sta. before curve. At 40, we are northbound on 9th av, swinging right to go W. on 110th st. On left is morningside drive. N. edge of central pk visible on rt. Then we swing L.. up 8th av to 116 st. sta. but never quite get there.

[bobhymes]

prisclanusjr said "On left is Morningside Drive. N. edge of Central Pk visible on rt." Just to be absolutely exact, what's just to the right of Morningside Drive, in the middle of the picture as the train starts its turn right, is _Morningside_ Park. Then once the train has made its right turn, around 1:08 we do start to see the north edge of Central Park over on the right. Prisclanusjr is right about the rest.

[eriswen]

Rare footage of steam locomotives on NYC elevated railways prior to electrification starting in 1903. Was the 104th St. curve where the 6th Ave. El switched over to 9th Ave. to go around Central Park? Many of those small steam engines were sent to Alaska after eletrification in NYC.

[BenAliGtor]

Great to see those little 0-4-0T Forney locomotives in action.