Prompt Cast
The Fascinating History and Design of Subways
TLDR Subways have a rich history and were designed to accommodate any train in the world. They were built underground using the cut and cover method, resulting in injuries and deaths. Subways have also served as refuges during wars and have the highest number of stations in the US.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Subways are a remarkable form of transportation that have a fascinating history and are still confusing to navigate.
05:17
Subways were designed so that any train in the world could run on the rails, and the New York subway system was specifically designed to allow passengers to travel to different cities.
09:36
Subways were designed to go underground because there was no more room above ground, and the construction process involved using picks, shovels, and dynamite to dig through bedrock, resulting in many injuries and deaths.
14:01
The cut and cover method was used for a long time in subway construction, where streets were temporarily ripped up, a subway was built, and then the street was rebuilt on top, allowing for the rerouting of various infrastructure lines.
18:24
The subway lines can be rerouted to accommodate other infrastructure lines, and the cut and cover method can be used to support these lines.
23:15
In addition to catacombs and abandoned subway stations, some subway lines in Paris had to be built with underground bridges to cross ancient Roman quarries.
27:47
Subway signals used to require manual resetting, but now they are mostly automated, although there are still speed limits and signals for caution and green lights.
32:25
Subways have been used as a refuge during air raids in World War I and II, and there are people living underground in some cities.
37:11
Subway cars in New York City go through 24 axles and 24 motors in their lifetime, get 48 wheels, and are eventually dumped into the ocean off the coast of South Carolina.
41:52
New York City's subway system has the highest number of stations in the United States and the subway cars travel a significant number of miles between repairs.
Categories:
Society & Culture
