New York Subway Construction Begins

August 4, 1903, saw the start of major excavation for New York's first subway line under the IRT contract, led by August Belmont and Chief Engineer William Barclay Parsons. Facing challenges like tunneling through Manhattan bedrock and integrating with existing infrastructure, the project introduced electric multiple-unit trains. It revolutionized urban mobility, easing congestion and shaping the city's growth, with the initial segment opening in 1904 and influencing subway designs worldwide.