Abstract
Staten Island is unique among the five boroughs of New York City. It is more isolated than the other five boroughs, and until the opening of the Verrazano Bridge on November 21, 1964, it was only directly connected to Manhattan and the rest of New York City by ferry services.
While Staten Island, despite many plans to do so, remains unconnected to the rest of New York via rapid transit (express bus services do exist), it has had its own “railroad” for many years. This chapter explores the background and history of the Staten Island Rapid Transit, and its impact on the island itself.
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References
Staten Island’s Beauties. New York Tribune, 8 (August 26, 1895)
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Swinging the Arthur Kill Draw; Erastus Wiman Views the Result of His Seven Years’ Effort with Satisfaction. New York Tribune, 2 (June14, 1888)
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Large Sale of Lots at Rosebank. New York Tribune, 8 (July 17, 1895)
Wiman’s Appeal Argued. New York Tribune, 4 (June 9, 1895)
He Gets a New Trial. Chicago Daily Tribune, 1 (March 16, 1895)
In Favor of Erastus Wiman. New York Tribune, 12 (February 11, 1896)
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New Ferry Boats on Staten Island. New York Tribune, 9 (October 25, 1895)
Staten Island Rapid Transit. Wall Street Journal, 1 (September 13, 1897)
Railroad Interests; Staten Island Rapid Transit Bonds. New York Tribune, 10 (October 2, 1898)
Staten Island Rapid Transit. New York Times, 2 (April 21, 1899)
Staten Island Rapid Transit Sold. New York Tribune, 2 (April 21, 1899)
Added to the B&O System. The Washington Post, 9 (April 21, 1899)
Staten Island Rapid Transit. New York Times, 4 (July 30, 1899)
Ferry Boats in Collision. New York Tribune, 1 (June 15, 1901)
Divers Find One Body. The Washington Post, 1 (June 16, 1901)
Staten Island Ferry Sites Bought By City. New York Times, 10 (February 1, 1905)
Names for the City’s New Ferryboats. New York Tribune, 16 (February 4, 1905)
City Takes S. I. Ferry. New York Tribune, 7 (May 30, 1905)
Anger at Ferry Delay. New York Tribune, 9 (September 1, 1905)
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Twenty-Minute Ferry to Staten Island Now. New York Times, 18 (October 26, 1905)
Staten Island Fares Jump. New York Times, 1 (June 4, 1909)
Staten Island’s Growth. New York Times, XX2 (December 12, 1909)
Staten Island Road Asks Permission to Cut Off 89 Trains. New York Tribune, 12 (August 2, 1917)
Staten Islanders Want More Trains. New York Times, 74 (September 9, 1917)
Coal Shortage Acute. New York Times, 8 (October 15, 1917)
Complaints on Soft Coal. New York Times, E6 (November 30, 1919)
Asks City to Seize Staten Island Cars and Lighting Plant. New York Times, 1 (April 19, 1920)
B&O to Electrify Staten Island Line. New York Times, 7 (December 29, 1923)
80 Electric Cars for Staten Island. New York Times, 29 (May 24, 1924)
Staten Island Rail Electrification Begun. Wall Street Journal, 5 (August 25, 1924)
Opens New Service on Electrified Line. New York Times, 11 (July 2, 1925)
Railroad Fight Grade Crossing Act. New York Times, 40 (May 20, 1926)
Four Grade Crossings Will be Eliminated. New York Times, 15 (June 26, 1926)
Power to Abolish Crossings Proved. New York Times, 2 (July 23, 1927)
Crossing Appeal Lost by Staten Island Line. New York Times, 16 (March 20, 1928)
Plans Suits to End 44 Grade Crossings. New York Times, 2 (November 22, 1928)
Asks $26,000,000 for Crossing Work. New York Times, 19 (December 4, 1929)
Staten Island Opens Mile-Long Viaduct; Thirty Four Grade Crossings Are Eliminated. New York Times, 3 (February 26, 1937)
Crossing Job Begun on Staten Island. New York Times, 7 (July 14, 1938)
Grade Crossings Nearly All Gone. New York Times, 38 (December 13, 1948)
Fatal Crossing Closed on S.I. New York Times, 33 (November 11, 1960)
$10,923,000 Job Authorized to End S.I. Grade Crossings. New York Times, 45 (August 29, 1964)
Staten Island Fire Wrecks Ferry Terminal, Kills 3; Damage Put at $2,000.000. New York Times, 1 (June 26, 1946)
Ferryboat Travel is Nearing Normal. New York Times, 33 (June 28, 1946)
Staten Island Ferries Normal, Take Vehicles. New York Times, 12 (July 13, 1946)
Ferry Terminal Bids Opened. New York Times, 48 (August 21, 1946)
Aid for Staten Island. New York Times, 48 (February 10, 1948)
Terminal Opening June 8. New York Times, 18 (May 29, 1951)
Bus Halt Put Off on Staten Island. New York Times, 3 (February 15, 1947)
City to Run Buses on Staten Island. New York Times, 1 (February 21, 1947)
Staten Islanders Seek 5c Bus Fare. New York Times, 23 (May 10, 1947)
Staten Island Road, Scoring Buses, Files to End Passenger Service Runs July 7. New York Times, 1 (June 4, 1952)
Staten Island Road Ordered to Continue Service Pending Study. Wall Street Journal, 5 (June 17, 1952)
Train Service Cut on Staten Island. New York Times, 19 (December 20, 1952)
Staten Island Line Would Cease Runs. New York Times, 33 (September 8, 1954)
Transit Deal Due on Staten Island. New York Times, 19 (August 20, 1955)
City Pact Approved on Tottenville Line. New York Times, 52 (December 14, 1956)
Rail Fare to Rise on Staten Island. New York Times, 28 (June 19, 1958)
Transit Pact Sought. New York Times, 34 (October 9, 1958)
Staten Island Rail Line Subsidy Doubled by City for Next Decade. New York Times, 13 (August 26, 1960)
City Urged to Take Over Staten Island Railway. New York Times, 43 (May 8, 1968)
Expansion Plans for Staten Island. New York Amsterdam News, 32 (March 7, 1970)
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Roess, R.P., Sansone, G. (2013). The Staten Island Rapid Transit. In: The Wheels That Drove New York. Springer Tracts on Transportation and Traffic, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30484-2_11
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