View source for Interborough Rapid Transit Company

{{Short description|Defunct subway operator in New York City (1904–1940)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox rail line
 | box_width   =
 | name        = Interborough Rapid Transit Company
 | color       = blue
 | logo        =
 | logo_width  =
 | image       = Interborough Rapid Transit Lo-V 5292.jpg
 | image_width = 308
 | caption     = A  [[New York Transit Museum]] set of [[Lo-V (NYCS car)|IRT Lo-Voltage]] motor cars at [[Mosholu Parkway station]] 
 | type        = Underground and above-ground metro
 | system      = 
 | status      = Incorporated into the [[New York City Subway]]
 | locale      =
 | start       =
 | end         =
 | stations    =
 | routes      = 
 | open        = {{start date and age|1904}}<br /><small>(acquisition of the [[Manhattan Railway Company]])</small>
 | close       = {{end date and age|1940}}<br /><small>(acquisition by the [[New York City Board of Transportation|NYC Board of Transportation]])</small>
 | owner       = [[New York City|City of New York]]
 | operator    = [[New York City Transit Authority]]
 | character   =
 | depot       = [[239th Street Yard]], [[240th Street Yard]],<br />[[Corona Yard]], [[East 180th Street Yard]],<br />[[Jerome Yard]], [[Livonia Yard]], [[Westchester Yard]]
 | stock       = [[R62 (NYCS car)|R62]], [[R62A (NYCS car)|R62A]], [[R142 (NYCS car)|R142]], [[R142A (NYCS car)|R142A]], [[R188 (NYCS car)|R188]]
 | linelength  = 
 | tracklength = 
  | gauge       = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
 | minradius   = {{convert|147.25|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stationreporter.net/curves.htm |title=NYC Minimum Curve Radius |archive-date=March 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318032556/http://www.stationreporter.net/curves.htm}}</ref>
  | speed       = 
 | elevation   =
 | map         =
 | map_state   = fixed
}}

[[File:W58th St IRT power jeh.JPG|thumb|The [[IRT Powerhouse]]]]
[[File:Wall Street IRT Subway Sign.JPG|thumb|220px|An old IRT sign remains at [[Wall Street (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)|Wall Street]] station.]]
The '''Interborough Rapid Transit Company''' ('''IRT''') was the [[private company|private]] operator of [[New York City]]'s original underground subway line that opened in 1904, as well as earlier [[elevated railways]] and additional [[rapid transit]] lines in [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/30/nyregion/about-new-york-alphabet-soup-telling-an-irt-from-a-bmt.html|title=About New York; Alphabet Soup: Telling an IRT From a BMT|date=June 30, 1990|work=The New York Times|access-date=March 14, 2016}}</ref> The IRT was purchased by the city on June 12, 1940, along with the younger [[Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation|BMT]] and [[Independent Subway System|IND]] systems, to form the modern [[New York City Subway]]. The former IRT lines (the numbered routes in the current subway system) are now the [[A Division (New York City Subway)|A Division]] or IRT Division of the Subway.

== History ==
The [[History of the IRT subway before 1918|first IRT subway]] ran between [[City Hall (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)|City Hall]] and [[145th Street (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)|145th Street]] at [[Broadway (Manhattan)|Broadway]], opening on October 27, 1904.<ref>{{cite web | title=EXERCISES IN CITY HALL.; Mayor Declares Subway Open – Ovations for Parsons and McDonald. | website=The New York Times | date=October 28, 1904 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1904/10/28/archives/exercises-in-city-hall-mayor-declares-subway-open-ovations-for.html | access-date=December 16, 2018}}</ref> It opened following more than twenty years of public debate on the merits of subways versus the existing [[elevated rail]] system and on various proposed routes.<ref>{{cite web | title=INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT OUR SUBWAY; Chronology of the Great Underground System. | website=The New York Times | date=October 28, 1904 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1904/10/28/archives/interesting-facts-about-our-subway-chronology-of-the-great.html | access-date=December 16, 2018}}</ref>

Founded on May 6, 1902, by [[August Belmont, Jr.]], the IRT's mission was to operate New York City's initial underground rapid transit system after Belmont's and [[John B. McDonald]]'s Rapid Transit Construction Company was awarded the rights to build the railway line in 1900, outbidding [[Andrew Onderdonk]].<ref name=cudahy>{{cite book | first=Brian J. | last=Cudahy | url=https://archive.org/details/undersidewalksof00cuda| url-access=registration | title=Under the Sidewalks of New York: The Story of the Greatest Subway System in the World | edition=2nd revised | publisher=Fordham University Press | location=New York | year=1995 | isbn=0-8232-1618-7}}</ref>{{rp|20–22}} The [[Manhattan Railway Company]] was the operator of four elevated railways in [[Manhattan]] with an extension into [[the Bronx]]. 

On April 1, 1903, over a year before its first subway line opened, the IRT acquired the Manhattan Railway Company by lease, gaining a monopoly on rapid transit in Manhattan. The IRT coordinated some services between what became its subway and elevated divisions, but all the lines of the former Manhattan elevateds have since been dismantled.

In 1913, as a result of massive expansion in the city, the IRT signed the [[Dual Contracts]] with [[Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company|Brooklyn Rapid Transit]] (BRT) in order to expand the subway.<ref>{{cite book | first=Peter | last=Derrick | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D4cUCgAAQBAJ | title=Tunneling to the Future: The Story of the Great Subway Expansion that Saved New York | publisher=New York University Press | location=New York | year=2001 | isbn=0-8147-1910-4 |pages=2–3}}</ref> The agreement also locked the subway fare at 5 cents for forty-nine years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1913/03/20/100611839.pdf|title=SUBWAY CONTRACTS SOLEMNLY SIGNED; Cheers at the Ceremonial Function When McCall Gets Willcox to Attest.|date=March 20, 1913|work=The New York Times|access-date=January 11, 2018|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The IRT unsuccessfully attempted to raise the fare to seven cents in 1929, in a case that went to the [[United States Supreme Court]].<ref>{{cite court|url=https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/279/159/|litigants=Gilchrist v. Interborough Rapid Transit Co. |vol= 279 |reporter=U.S. |opinion=159|date=1929|access-date=December 15, 2018}}</ref>

The IRT ceased to function as a privately held company on June 12, 1940, when its properties and operations were acquired by the City of New York.<ref>{{cite web | title=CITY TRANSIT UNITY IS NOW A REALITY; Title to I.R.T. Lines Passes to Municipality, Ending 19-Year Campaign OPERATION CHANGE MADE Network of Subway, Surface Car and Bus Routes a $1,500,000,000 Investment | website=The New York Times | date=June 13, 1940 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1940/06/13/archives/city-transit-unity-is-now-a-reality-title-to-irt-lines-passes-to.html | access-date=December 16, 2018}}</ref>

Today, the IRT lines are operated as the [[A Division (New York City Subway)|A Division]] of the subway. The remaining lines are underground in Manhattan, except for a short stretch across [[Harlem]] at [[125th Street (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)|125th Street]] and in northern Manhattan. Its many lines in the Bronx are predominantly elevated, with some subway, and some railroad-style right-of-way acquired from the defunct [[New York, Westchester and Boston Railway]], which now constitutes the [[IRT Dyre Avenue Line]]. Its Brooklyn lines are underground with a single elevated extension that reaches up to [[New Lots Avenue (IRT New Lots Line)|New Lots Avenue]], and the other reaching [[Flatbush Avenue – Brooklyn College (IRT Nostrand Avenue Line)|Flatbush Avenue]] via the underground [[IRT Nostrand Avenue Line|Nostrand Avenue Line]]. 

The [[IRT Flushing Line|Flushing Line]], its sole line in [[Queens]], is entirely elevated except for a short portion approaching its East River tunnel and its terminal at [[Flushing–Main Street (IRT Flushing Line)|Flushing–Main Street]] (the whole Manhattan portion of the line is underground). The Flushing Line has had no track connection to the rest of the IRT since 1942, when service on the [[IRT Second Avenue Line|Second Avenue El]] was discontinued. It is connected to the [[Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation|BMT]] and the rest of the system via the [[BMT Astoria Line]] on the upper level of the [[Queensboro Plaza (IRT Flushing Line)|Queensboro Plaza]] station.

==Lines==
[[File:Routes of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. LOC 2007630432.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Routes of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company, 1924]]
=== Original IRT system (1904–1909)===

Source:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4D8GBxGnDnYC&q=The+Official+Railway+Guide|title=The Official Guide of the Railways, January 1909|website=Google Books|year=1909}}</ref>

==== Subway Division ====

* '''West Branch'''
** [[IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line|Broadway Line]] ([[Atlantic Avenue–Barclays Center station#IRT Eastern Parkway Line platforms|Atlantic Avenue]] to [[Van Cortlandt Park–242nd Street station|242nd Street]], with intermediate terminals at [[South Ferry/Whitehall Street station#Old South Ferry station (1905–2009, 2013–2017)|South Ferry]] and [[City Hall station (IRT Lexington Avenue Line)|City Hall]])
* '''East Branch'''
** [[IRT Lenox Avenue Line|Lenox Avenue Line]] (Atlantic Avenue to [[145th Street station (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)|145th Street]], with intermediate terminals at South Ferry and City Hall)
** [[IRT White Plains Road Line|Westchester Avenue Branch]] ([[135th Street station (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)|135th Street]] to [[180th Street–Bronx Park station|180th Street]])

==== Manhattan Railway Division ====

* '''Eastern Division'''
** [[IRT Second Avenue Line|Second Avenue Line]] ([[South Ferry station (IRT elevated)|South Ferry]] to [[129th Street station|129th Street]])
** [[IRT Third Avenue Line|Third Avenue Line]] (South Ferry to [[Bronx Park Terminal]])
** City Hall Branch ([[City Hall station (IRT Second Avenue Line)|City Hall]] to [[Chatham Square station|Chatham Square]])
** 34th Street Branch ([[34th Street station (IRT Third Avenue Line)|Third Avenue]] to [[34th Street Ferry station|34th Street Ferry]])
** 42nd Street Branch ([[42nd Street station (IRT Third Avenue Line)|42nd Street]] to [[Grand Central station (IRT 42nd Street Branch)|Grand Central]])
** Willis Avenue Branch ([[129th Street station|129th Street]] to [[Willis Avenue station|Willis Avenue]])
* '''Western Division'''
** [[IRT Sixth Avenue Line|Sixth Avenue Line]] (South Ferry to [[155th Street station (IRT Ninth Avenue Line)|155th Street]], with an intermediate terminal at [[58th Street Terminal|58th Street]])
** [[IRT Ninth Avenue Line|Ninth Avenue Line]] (South Ferry to 155th Street)

===Expansion (1917–1928)===
====The Bronx and Manhattan====
Trunk lines include:
*[[IRT Lexington Avenue Line|Lexington Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Lexington|time=show}}), under Park and Lexington Avenues, as well as under [[Lafayette Street]] and Broadway
*[[IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line|Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Broadway-Seventh|time=show}}), under and over Broadway, as well as under Seventh Avenue, [[Varick Street]], and [[West Broadway]]
*[[IRT Flushing Line|Flushing Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Flushing|time=show}}), under 41st and 42nd Streets
*[[IRT 42nd Street Line|42nd Street Line]] ({{NYCS trains|42nd|time=show}}), under 42nd Street

Branch lines include:
*[[IRT Lenox Avenue Line|Lenox Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Lenox|time=show}}), under [[Lenox Avenue]] and Central Park
*[[IRT White Plains Road Line|White Plains Road Line]] ({{NYCS trains|White Plains|time=show}}), under East 149th Street, and over  Westchester Avenue, Southern Boulevard, Boston Road, and [[White Plains Road]]
*[[IRT Pelham Line|Pelham Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Pelham|time=show}}), under East 138th Street and [[Southern Boulevard (Bronx)|Southern Boulevard]], and over [[Westchester Avenue]]
*[[IRT Jerome Avenue Line|Jerome Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Jerome|time=show}}), under [[Grand Concourse (Bronx)|Grand Concourse]],  over River and Jerome Avenues,

====Brooklyn and Queens====
There were three Brooklyn lines built by the IRT:
*[[IRT Eastern Parkway Line|Eastern Parkway Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Eastern west|time=show}}), under [[Fulton Street (Brooklyn)|Fulton Street]], [[Flatbush Avenue]], and [[Eastern Parkway]]
*[[IRT New Lots Line|New Lots Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Eastern east|time=show}}), over East 98th Street and Livonia Avenue
*[[IRT Nostrand Avenue Line|Nostrand Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Nostrand|time=show}}), under Nostrand Avenue

The only line in [[Queens]] is the [[IRT Flushing Line|Flushing Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Flushing|time=show}}), under 50th Avenue, and over [[Queens Boulevard]] and [[Roosevelt Avenue]].

====River crossings====
(of the East and Harlem Rivers, from south to north)
*[[Joralemon Street Tunnel]] ({{NYCS trains|Lexington south|time=show}})
*[[Clark Street Tunnel]] ({{NYCS trains|Broadway-Seventh Brooklyn|time=show}})
*[[Steinway Tunnel]] ({{NYCS trains|Flushing|time=show}})
*[[Lexington Avenue Tunnel]] ({{NYCS trains|Lexington|time=show}})
*[[149th Street Tunnel]] ({{NYCS trains|White Plains south|time=show}})
*[[Broadway Bridge (Manhattan)|Broadway Bridge]] ({{NYCS trains|Broadway-Seventh north|time=show}})

===After 1940===
*[[IRT Dyre Avenue Line|Dyre Avenue Line]] ({{NYCS trains|Dyre|time=show}}), parallel to the Esplanade, and on the old right-of-way of the [[New York, Westchester and Boston Railway]] in 1941
*[[IRT Flushing Line|Flushing Line]], in October 1949, the joint BMT/IRT service arrangement ended. The Flushing Line became the responsibility of IRT. The [[BMT Astoria Line|Astoria Line]] had its platforms shaved back for exclusive BMT operation.
*[[IRT Lenox Avenue Line|Lenox Avenue Line]] to [[Harlem–148th Street (IRT Lenox Avenue Line)|Harlem–148th Street]] ({{NYCS trains|Lenox|time=show}}), at-grade parallel to 149th Street in 1968
*[[IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line|Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line]] to new [[South Ferry (IRT Broadway–Seventh Avenue Line)|South Ferry island-platformed stations]], opened in March 2009. It closed temporarily from October 28, 2012, to June 27, 2017, because of [[Hurricane Sandy]].
*[[IRT Flushing Line|Flushing Line]] to [[34th Street–Hudson Yards (IRT Flushing Line)|34th Street–Hudson Yards]] ({{NYCS trains|Flushing}}), under 41st Street and [[Eleventh Avenue (Manhattan)|11th Avenue]], opened in September 2015

==Surviving IRT equipment==
Several pieces of pre-unification IRT equipment have been preserved in various museums. While some of the equipment are operational, others are in need of restoration or are used simply as static displays.
* [[Manhattan El (New York City Subway car)|Manhattan El]] revenue collection car G is preserved at the [[Shore Line Trolley Museum]].
* IRT elevated motorman instruction car 824 is preserved at the [[Shore Line Trolley Museum]].
* [[Richmond Shipyard Railway]] cars 561 and 563 (ex-Manhattan El cars 844 and 889) are preserved at the [[Western Railway Museum]] in Rio Vista, California.
* The private car of [[August Belmont Jr.]], numbered 3344 and named the ''Mineola'', is preserved at the [[Shore Line Trolley Museum]].
* [[Gibbs Hi-V (New York City Subway car)|Gibbs]] car 3352 is preserved at the [[Seashore Trolley Museum]].
* [[Deck Roof Hi-V (New York City Subway car)|Deck Roof]] car 3662 is preserved at the [[Shore Line Trolley Museum]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trolleymuseum.org/ |title=Home |website=trolleymuseum.org}}</ref>
* [[Standard Lo-V (New York City Subway car)|Lo-V]] cars 4902, 5290, 5292, 5443, 5466, 5483 and 5600 have been preserved. Cars 4092, 5290, 5292, 5442 and 5483 are preserved by the [[New York Transit Museum]] and Railway Preservation Corp. Car 5466 is preserved at the [[Shore Line Trolley Museum]]. Car 5600 is preserved at the [[Trolley Museum of New York]].
* [[World's Fair Lo-V (New York City Subway car)|World's Fair Lo-V]] car 5655 is preserved by the [[New York Transit Museum]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nycsubway.org/wiki/The_Interborough_Fleet,_1900-1939_(Composites,_Hi-V,_Low-V)#Low-Voltage_.28Low-V.29|title=nycsubway.org: The Interborough Fleet, 1900–1939 (Composites, Hi-V, Low-V)|website=www.nycsubway.org}}</ref>

==See also==
Other NYC Subway companies:
* [[Brooklyn–Manhattan Transit Corporation]] (BMT)
* [[Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company]] (BRT)
* [[Independent Subway System]] (ISS)

Also:
* [[History of the IRT subway before 1918]]
* [[New York IRT (soccer team)|New York IRT]] — Soccer team sponsored by IRT
* [[IRT Rangers]] — Soccer team sponsored by IRT

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons and category|Interborough Rapid Transit Company|Interborough Rapid Transit Company}}
* {{HAER |survey=NY-122 |id=ny0387 |title=Interborough Rapid Transit Subway (Original Line), New York, New York County, NY |photos=72 |data=614 |cap=4}}
* {{Gutenberg author | id=36889| name=Interborough Rapid Transit Company}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Interborough Rapid Transit Company}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Interborough Rapid Transit Company}}
[[Category:Interborough Rapid Transit Company| ]]
[[Category:Belmont family]]
[[Category:Defunct New York (state) railroads]]
[[Category:Defunct public transport operators in the United States]]
[[Category:Historic American Engineering Record in New York City]]
[[Category:History of the New York City Subway]]
[[Category:Transportation companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Transportation companies based in New York City]]
[[Category:1904 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:1940 disestablishments in New York (state)]]