New York, beneath the surface
NYC subway in 1908: The subway reaches Brooklyn beneath the East River
The Joralemon Street Tunnel opened for passengers on January 9, 1908, connecting the IRT subway in Manhattan with Brooklyn. It was the first underwater subway connection between the two boroughs.
Explore the 1908 interactive map →
What this map represents
This year-end reconstruction contains 105 modeled stops across 3 boroughs and about 44 mapped miles. These are counts from this project’s model, not official historical station or track-mile totals. Modern route colors identify corridors, not the services running in 1908.
Selected events, 1905–1908
1907: Across the Harlem Ship Canal
IRT trains reached 225th Street via the Broadway Bridge, extending the original subway into Marble Hill.
1908: Under the East River
The Joralemon Street Tunnel brought the IRT to Brooklyn on January 9; service reached Atlantic Avenue on May 1.
Sources and interpretation
Historical coverage and geometry are incomplete. Read the reconstruction method and limitations before interpreting station counts or route alignments.