New York IRT Sixth Avenue Gilbert Elevated Railroad 1878 Antique Print & Article For Sale

Rare original antiqueprint from an 1870s illustrated journal. It depicts the new Gilbert Elevated Railroad station at 42nd Street and Sixth Avenue in New York City. It later became part of the IRT Sixth Avenue Line (Sixth Avenue Elevated or Sixth Avenue El Train) in the NYC subway system.
Above this picture is a portrait of Dr. Rufus H. Gilbert the inventor who constructed it. Surrounding the pictures and continued on the back is a long article on the subject.

The elevated line was constructed during the 1870s by the Gilbert Elevated Railway, subsequently reorganized as the Metropolitan Elevated Railway. The line opened on June 5, 1878 between Rector Street and 58th Street. Its route ran north from the corner of Rector Street and Trinity Place up Trinity Place / Church Street, then west for a block at Murray Street, then north again on West Broadway, west again across West 3rd Street to the foot of Sixth Avenue, and then north to 59th Street. The following year, ownership passed to the Manhattan Railway Company, which also controlled the other elevated railways in Manhattan. In 1881, the line was connected to the largely rebuilt Ninth Avenue Elevated; it was joined in the south at Morris Street, and in the north by a connecting link running across 53rd Street. And it ran 24/7.

Rufus Henry Gilbert (1832–1885) was an American surgeon and inventor, who worked on rapid transit in New York City.In 1870 Gilbert obtained a patent for an elevated railway using the principle of pneumatics.[2] Gilbert incorporated a company knowns as the Gilbert Elevated Railway Company but had difficulty obtaining adequate financing for the venture.[2] Ultimately Gilbert was forced to surrender control of the company to the New York Loan and Improvement Company in order to obtain sufficient capital.[2] The company constructed the Sixth Avenue road, known as Gilbert Elevated Railroad, which opened in 1878.[2] Gilbert was forced out of the company by his partners soon after the road opened, however, effectively ending his career.

The print is very large (folio size), measuring approximately 11 x 15 inches (28 x 38 cm). The picture fills most of it, measuring about9 x 6.6 inches, with a caption below it.

The page is in excellent condition for its age. There is text/photos on the back of the print. See scan for an accurate view of the condition.

This print will come with a Certificate of Authenticity.