Ghosts of the Elevated Railroads WALKING TOURS

Join us on a special walking tour exploring the history of Manhattan’s old Elevated Railroads. These trains, which first opened in the 1860s, were the city’s first rapid transit system and transformed downtown Manhattan. While they disappeared by the 1950s, remnants of these railroads still exist on the streets today. Your guide Michael will take you along the former 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue lines, as well as trains that ran across the Brooklyn Bridge until 1940. Along the way, you will learn about the urgent need for transit in mid-19th century Manhattan and how these elevated trains shaped the city for decades. The tour also explores how the Els provided an escape for residents from crowded and difficult neighborhoods like Five Points and the Lower East Side.

As you walk through lower Manhattan, Chinatown, and the Lower East Side, you will see the remains of the old railroad infrastructure and learn about the problems and benefits the Els created. You will visit key sites such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Chambers Street, Chatham Square, Allen Street, and the Municipal Building, uncovering stories of urban development, politics, and engineering. This tour offers a unique window into Manhattan’s past, showing how rapid transit influenced daily life, neighborhoods, and the growth of the city itself.