Arteries of New York DVD

Innovations in transportation brought new bridges, trolley lines, elevated railroads, and subway lines that extended farther and farther into the heart of the city. Trolleys began to traverse the streets of Brooklyn in 1890, the Williamsburg Bridge was completed in 1903, the first subway line was thrust under the East River in 1908, and the Manhattan Bridge opened in 1909. Each expansion opened new areas for settlement and development. Brooklyn’s emergence as a manufacturing hub and the burgeoning post World War II suburbs provided the necessary impetus for the transformation of the city’s transport system from horse-drawn carts to modern high-speed rail and road transport systems, which rank among the best in the world.

This DVD provides a rare insight into the intricate transport system within New York City and explains how this massive network of roads and underground functions.

Arteries of New York This 1941 film was produced by Encyclopaedia Britannica and bears the stamp of a professionally made documentary. The film highlights various transport facilities provided by the city of New York, which enable thousands of commuters to travel between their homes, places of work and recreational areas with relative ease. It has some lively clips of the subway, the ferry service and road transport such as buses and taxis. The film shows how roads are planned, designed and built to accommodate a growing population. It has a good narrative and the photography is brilliant. Sponsor: N/A Producer: Encyclopaedia Britannica Films Year: 1941 Length: 00:09:27 Audio: Mono Color: BLACK & WHITE"
17 Days: The Story of Newspaper History in the Making This film underlines the significance of newspapers in the lives of New Yorkers. The agony caused to readers by the 17-day strike called by transporters in 1945 is captured in a magnificent manner. Sponsor: New York Daily News Producer: The News, New York's Picture Newspaper Year: 1945 Length: 00:16:33 Audio: Mono Color: COLOR
Big Train film, made by the New York Central Railroad in 1950 begins with the story of how railroads became the lifelines of the nation and opened up new frontiers in the 19th century. It goes on to show how railroads continue to meet the needs of cities and towns. The last part of the film is a narrative on the injustice the railroads have had to suffer at the hands of state and federal governments who levy taxes on the railroads while sparing other modes of transport. Filmed in color, the clips have some excellent shots of the countryside and industrial areas of cities that the trains pass through on their daily journeys. Sponsor: National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Producer: National Broadcasting Company (NBC) Year: 1950 Length: 00:12:58 Audio: Mono Color: COLOR
Third Avenue El This documentary takes you on a delightful 10-minute journey on an elevated suburban train. You will see various places of interest as the train passes through sections of New York. You will see some beautiful shots of the rails from a moving train, which give an idea of the speed at which the train is traveling. Sponsor: N/A Producer: Davidson (Carson) Year: 1950 Length: 00:10:34 Audio: Mono Color: COLOR

Running Time:
DVD One: 01:09:09

EDITORIAL REVIEW:

"Just as an army marches on its stomach, a city marches on its wheels and this fascinating DVD shows us how. The rapid growth of industry and population compelled authorities in New York to work out a system of rapid mass transport that would carry industrial workers, office goers, and businessmen from and to their suburban homes in quick time.

Through fascinating photography and a well-scripted narrative Encyclopedia Britannica provides an in-depth view of how this was achieved in the clip entitled Arteries of America. The clip about railroads, Big Train also provides an inspirational peek into how the railroads have contributed to the growth of industry in America. The sponsor’s plea to the government to waive unjustifiable taxes levied upon the Railroad Company seems be a reasonable one in the light of the tremendous contribution made by the New York Central Railroad to the nation’s progress, as witnessed in this clip.

You are provided with a thrilling ride on an elevated train as it thunders past several landmarks on Third Avenue in the exhilarating clip entitled Third Avenue El. The excitement of the ride is interspersed with some comic moments when a passenger accidentally drops a coin, which gets wedged in a section of the floor and a succession of passengers try to pry it out with little success. Although the noise of the train may sound bothersome at times, it adds to the true-life quality of the film.

This DVD also speaks of the absolute dependence of the city on road transport. The clip 17 Days: The Story of Newspaper History in the Making reveals the chaos and panic that gripped New Yorkers when the Newspaper Transporters Union declared a 17-day strike. Shots of the mayor coming to the aid of children and reading comic strips for them on the radio serve to underline the impact of the strike on people of all ages, including the children, some of who risked waiting for hours in serpentine queues to grab a copy of the newspaper. A well-researched script, loaded with statistics, gives a deeper insight into the plight of a city that was starved of its favorite news medium for over a fortnight.

Through well-scripted narratives and brilliant photography, the clips on this DVD take you on an enthralling tour of New York’s’ fabulous and intricate network of rail and road mass transport systems. I found myself mesmerized by the ingenuity of city planners and engineers who put this mind-boggling system of public transport in place and I have no doubts that everybody who has the opportunity to lay their hands on this historic DVD will share my sentiments".

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