This highly detailed reconstruction demonstrates how the old power station at West 59th Street, New York City, generated electricity to power the Manhattan subway system back at the beginning of the twentieth century.
IRT Powerhouse, New York City, USA
Finer details are illustrated above. Below is the complete work.
HISTORIC REFERENCE
The Interborough Rapid Transit Powerhouse was constructed in 1904 to power the subway systems on Manhattan island in New York.
It was designed by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White Architects in a ‘Renaissance Revival’ style and was described as a classical temple paying homage to modern industry.
The six chimneys were designed to reflect the smokestacks of nearby steamships moored alongside the piers of Hudson River. By the 1950s the subway system had no further need of the powerhouse and since that time Consolidated Edison has been using the space to supply New York City with steam.
Steam has many uses in New York, such as heating and cooling buildings, providing humidity to art museums and steam cleaning in restaurants.
Here below are a few of the references used to help build this image
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