IRT Powerhouse
This reconstruction demonstrates how the old power station at West 59th Street, New York City, generated electricity to power the Manhattan subway system at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Finer details are illustrated above.
Below is the full composition.
This reconstruction demonstrates how the old power station at West 59th Street, New York City, generated electricity to power the Manhattan subway system at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Finer details are illustrated above.
Below is the full composition.
Historic References
The Interborough Rapid Transit Powerhouse was constructed in 1904 to power the subway systems on Manhattan island in New York.
It was designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White Architects who described it a classical temple paying homage to modern industry. The six chimneys were said to reflect smokestacks of nearby steamships moored alongside the piers of Hudson River. By the 1950s the subway no longer required the powerhouse and since then Consolidated Edison has been using the building to supply New York City with steam. Steam has many uses in New York, such as heating and cooling buildings, providing humidity to art museums and steam cleaning in restaurants.
Here below are a few of the references used to help build this image.
Click to view
The Interborough Rapid Transit Powerhouse was constructed in 1904 to power the subway systems on Manhattan island in New York.
It was designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White Architects who described it a classical temple paying homage to modern industry. The six chimneys were said to reflect smokestacks of nearby steamships moored alongside the piers of Hudson River. By the 1950s the subway no longer required the powerhouse and since then Consolidated Edison has been using the building to supply New York City with steam. Steam has many uses in New York, such as heating and cooling buildings, providing humidity to art museums and steam cleaning in restaurants.
Here below are a few of the references used to help build this image.
Click to view
