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Discover the world-famous Chicago "L" - in all its grit and glory.

The thundering "L" is one of Chicago's most enduring icons. Operating 247 since 1892, it is not only an antique but a working antique. More than 10 billion people have ridden the "L," which now carries half a million people a day over 222 miles of track. The heavy, rumbling "L" has a light side too. It is sought out by tourists, featured in major motion pictures, enjoyed by wide-eyed kids, photographed by admirers, and studied by historians. Meanwhile, both the Smithsonian Institution and the Chicago History Museum have recently enshrined Chicago "L" cars as the showpiece of major permanent exhibits. The Chicago "L" shows how the early "L" lines helped to build Chicago as well as how today's "L" helps to revitalize neighborhoods and tie the city together. Over the past 100 years, the "L" has survived numerous attempts to tear it down. Today its future is secure. New services are being added and new lines planned. This educating and entertaining book brings the tenacious "L" to life.

Before the rise of automobiles, where new trolley car lines were built, people, businesses, and neighborhoods followed, and trolleys quickly helped Chicago become a world-class city.

Chicago's extensive transit system first started in 1859, when horsecars ran on rails in city streets, cable cars and electric streetcars following soon after, but once trolleys appeared on the scene, Chicago metaphorically exploded. At its peak, Chicago had over 3,000 streetcars and 1,000 miles of track--the largest such system in the world. By the 1930s, there were also streamlined trolleys and trolley buses on rubber tires. Some parts of Chicago's famous "L" system also used trolley wire instead of a third rail. Trolley cars once took people from the Loop to such faraway places as Aurora, Elgin, Milwaukee, and South Bend. Though seemingly-outdated in the 21st century, there are still a few trolleys running today for anyone who prefers to take the scenic route.

Take a ride on the Staten Island Ferry and explore the rich history behind New York's maritime attraction.

Considered the ""Best Ride in New York City,"" the Staten Island Ferry has been immortalized over the years in art, literature, film, and music. In the 19th century, cross-bay ferry riders complained of dangerous and unreliable private service. On October 25, 1905, the newly incorporated City of New York assumed ownership of the service, and the Borough class--the Brooklyn, Bronx, Richmond, Queens, and Manhattan ferryboats--was introduced. These were the largest ferries on the East Coast and made the crossing in 22.5 minutes. Today, the ferry is recognized as a New York icon and a symbol of the borough. A favorite destination for tourists, the Staten Island Ferry carries 22 million passengers annually. On a typical day, 109 trips move about 70,000 people across the harbor, making the Staten Island Ferry one of the most reliable forms of mass transit in the city.

In Boston in Motion, the various conveyances available to the public over time are presented and explored in a riveting collection of original photographs.

Boston in Motion, the sequel to Trolleys under the Hub, is an intriguing collection of photographs that captures the history of transportation in and around Boston. Authors Frank Cheney and Anthony M. Sammarco trace the stories from the earliest days of public transport with the Winnisimmet Ferry to the MBTA of today. A city known for its comprehensive public transportation, Boston has hosted every type of transit known to urban America. From the ferry, the horse railway, and the omnibus to the steam railroad and, eventually, the subway and bus systems, Boston has always been at the forefront of transportation advancements. The former ""El"" (the Boston Elevated Railway), the Old Colony Railroad, the Red Line, and the East Boston Line dramatically changed the face of Boston in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The story of Baltimore's historic Oakenshawe neighborhood is a tale of two families and a dream to create an idyllic place.

The powerful Wilson family made fortunes in colonial shipping and established a summer estate for more than one hundred years. The Mueller families were prominent Baltimore builders, and Phillip C. Mueller envisioned an upscale community of terraced townhomes on the Wilson estate. After purchasing the property, he died suddenly, and his family banded together to create a vibrant "streetcar suburb" providing affordable homes along newly accessible streetcar routes. Join author D.J. Wilson as he takes readers through the history of Baltimore's Oakenshawe.