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Third Avenue El

10 min 35 sec101 shots

This impressionistic film records the Third Avenue Elevated Railway in Manhattan before its demolition. A man operates a camera, passengers sit inside a railcar, and trains travel past stations, steel supports, brick buildings, storefront signs, and fire escapes. Views from moving cars turn nearby buildings and structural beams into streaks of color and repeated geometric patterns.

The railway appears as both transportation and a commanding part of the city landscape. Close views show couplings, chains, wheels, rails, and other mechanical details, while wider scenes include a river bridge, waterfront buildings, and the skyline. Music accompanies the later scenes as trains pass a tall skyscraper and the elevated structure curves into the darkness at dusk.

Provenance and rights

Original producer: Davidson (Carson)
Collection: Prelinger Archives
Original title: Third Avenue El
Date: Unknown
Original link: Open on Internet Archive
Rights: public_domain