The Forgotten Pneumatic Tube Mail Networks
In short: Pneumatic tube networks emerged as a solution to urban congestion, using compressed air to propel mail canisters through underground pipes at speeds up to 60 mph. London pioneered the technology in 1853, followed by Paris in 1866 and New York in 1897, with each city developing extensive networks that handled millions of messages annually.
A 1:31 short film in the series “Forgotten Stories”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: University of Malta (Open Access Repository), “JMPS42(1)A7.pdf”; University of Lancaster (eprints.lancs.ac.uk), “Pages_from_04_moving_people_transporting_goods.pdf”; University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, “The Internet of Tubes”; JSTOR Daily, “Something Old, Something Pneu”; Smithsonian Institution (National Postal Museum), “What’s that Whishing Sound?”; Smithsonian Magazine, “When a Labyrinth of Pneumatic Tubes Shuttled Mail Beneath the Streets of New York City”; The Postal Museum, “Pneumatic Tube Canister”.
Sources used in this film
- University of Malta (Open Access Repository) — JMPS42(1)A7.pdf · View →
- University of Lancaster (eprints.lancs.ac.uk) — Pages_from_04_moving_people_transporting_goods.pdf · View →
- University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering — The Internet of Tubes · View →
- JSTOR Daily — Something Old, Something Pneu · View →
- Smithsonian Institution (National Postal Museum) — What’s that Whishing Sound? · View →
- Smithsonian Magazine — When a Labyrinth of Pneumatic Tubes Shuttled Mail Beneath the Streets of New York City · View →
- The Postal Museum — Pneumatic Tube Canister · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: University of Malta (Open Access Repository): JMPS42(1)A7.pdf
- Also: Of Loops, Pumps, Pipes and Hype
- Also: University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering: The Internet of Tubes
- Also: JSTOR Daily: Something Old, Something Pneu
- Also: Smithsonian Institution (National Postal Museum): What’s that Whishing Sound?
- Also: Smithsonian Magazine: When a Labyrinth of Pneumatic Tubes Shuttled Mail Beneath the Streets of New York City
- Also: The Postal Museum: Pneumatic Tube Canister
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