N.E.R.R. Co. Oct 20 1907 64 Vanderbilt Av Line Transfer #07930
Spectacular turn-of-the-century streetcar artifact explicitly dated Sunday, October 20, 1907, representing the complex pre-unification transit network of Brooklyn and Queens operated by the Nassau Electric Railroad Company.
This century-old primary document offers an incredible, deeply detailed snapshot of the massive grid of streetcar lines running through New York City’s outer boroughs during the early 20th century. A highly appealing aspect of this ticket is the bold green overprint typography used for the date, serial number, and decorative visual framing blocks, creating a stark, high-contrast look against the aged orange-tinted paper stock.
Ultimate Geographic & Transit Keyword Powerhouse
This transfer is a phenomenal resource for Brooklyn and Queens historical researchers, explicitly laying out a dense matrix of legendary early railway and streetcar routes including the 64 Vanderbilt Av Line, 4 Bergen St, 11 Church Av, 13 Fifth Av, 18 Fulton St, 19 Flatbush Av, 20 Flatbush-Prospect Park, 25 Fifteenth St, 40 Marcy Av, 48 Putnam Av, 49 Park Av, 53 Seventh Av, 54 St. Johns Pl, and 63 Union St.
The extensive secondary transfer networks mapped on the face and reverse include iconic destination names such as Avenue C, Belt, Broadway, Brighton Beach El., Crosstown, Crosstown-Hicks St. Div., Court St., Fifth Av. El.-Bay Ridge Div., Fifth Av. El.-P. P. & C. I. Div., Fifth Av. El.-Sea Beach Div., Fifth Av. El.-West End Div., Flatbush-Seventh Av., Flushing Av., Flushing-Knickerbocker, Greene & Gates Avs., Gates-Prospect Park, Graham Av., Greenpoint, Hamilton Av., Hamburg Av., Jamaica Av., Lorimer St., Myrtle Av., Nostrand Av., Nostrand-Culver, Nostrand-Prospect Park, Ocean Av., Reid Av., Ralph Av., Sumner Av., Tompkins Av., Tompkins-Culver, Third Av., 39th St. Fy.-Bay Ridge Av., 39th St. Fy.-Coney Island, 65th St.-Bay Ridge Av., 65th St.-86th St., Ridgewood (Wyckoff Av), Calvary Cem., Nassau Av., Meeker Av., Richmond Hill, Cypress Hills, Fulton Ferry, Montague St., Kensington Junction, Maspeth Depot, 9th Av Depot, Third Av & 65th St, Williamsburg Bridge Plaza, Borough Hall, Washington & Sands Sts., Middagh & Fulton Sts., and Boerum Pl. & Atlantic Av.
Historic Line Coverage & Regulations
It documents the operational transfer permissions required for passengers riding the 64 Vanderbilt Av Line. The fine print includes highly specific early regulatory clauses, stating that lines operating over a joint route between a terminus and a junction will neither issue to nor accept transfers from each other while on that joint portion of the route. It also features a pre-printed text marker near the center reading "Pope's Pat.—Time limit, Nov. 21st, 1905," documenting the physical manufacturing or design patent utilized for the ticket layout.
Serial Number and Mechanical Characteristics
The ticket features a distinct five-digit green serial number 07930 printed horizontally inside an ornate typographic border. The bottom PM section features a clear, circular conductor punch hole indicating the specific 5:00 hour block of issue. The top edge shows a rough, hand-torn margin from where the conductor ripped the document from its original pad using a metal cutting strip, reflecting its genuine daily utility on early public transit.
Historical Context
The Nassau Electric Railroad was a vital component of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit (BRT) system during this era, orchestrating a massive web of trolley lines that fueled the rapid suburban expansion of Kings and Queens counties. This 1907 specimen demonstrates the sheer complexity of coordinating fares across competing or intersecting streetcar divisions long before municipal consolidation took over the lines, forcing the company to utilize text-dense, dual-sided tickets to prevent revenue loss at busy transit hubs like the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza, Borough Hall, and various historic ferry landings.
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