Social Studies: Beach Pneumatic Transit

In 1912 workers for the New York subway were surprised to find an already existing subway station, abandoned an and forgotten.

In the 1860s Alfred Beach became appalled with New York traffic. The solution an air-powered under ground train.

Its single tunnel, 312 feet long, 8 feet in diameter, was completed in 1870 and ran under Broadway from Warren Street to Murray Street. The line was built as a demonstration of a pneumatic transit system, open to the public with fares donated to charity. It remained little more than a curiosity, running only a single car on its one-block-long track to a dead-end at its terminus. (Passengers would simply ride out and back, to see what the proposed subway might be like.) Although the public showed initial approval, Beach was delayed in getting permission to expand it due to official obstruction for various reasons . By the time he finally gained permission in 1873, public and financial support had waned, and the subway was closed down.

It wasn't until the 20th century that New York would get another subway.

Sources:
Wikipedia
Greatest Stories Never Told by Rick Beyer