After the steam locomotive became a practical means of transportation for people in the United States, intercity railroad systems sprang up in many metropolitan areas. The above-ground tracks slowly evolved into commuter railway systems that congested municipal streets. However, if there is a will, there is a way.
On this day September 1st, in 1897, the Boston Subway opens. It is North America’s first underground railway system, and it was built because the streetcar congestion got so bad in Boston that there was no more space for further rail lines at street level.
Today the Boston Subway is part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. They currently have 38 miles of rapid transit, 26 miles of light rail track, and 368 miles of commuter rail! Boston city proper is just less than 50 square miles, with a population slightly over 600,000, but its metropolitan area has over 4.5 million people! Think about commuting with that.