Fans of New York City's subway, as well as students and professionals in design, will find a wealth of material in this heavily illustrated volume. The text delves in detail into the building of the subway and the development and changes of its minutest aspects. Presented in a slightly oversize, horizontal format (it's 9.25x11"), the color plates present original drawings, plans, and period and contemporary photographs (the latter by Andrew Garn) of the trains, station and substation architecture, platforms, seating, lighting, ceramic decoration, metal decoration, signage, graphics, vending machines, maps, and riders. The book's publication coincided with an exhibit at the Transit Museum in 2004. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)