1984 - Transportation

Transportation

New York's transit fares rise January 2 from 75¢ to 90¢ (see 1981; 1986).

India's first subway opens October 24 at Calcutta, where the first section of the Calcutta Metro Railway has been completed after 11 years' work, connecting Esplanade with Bhowanipur (3.4 kilometers) as part of a system that will grow by 1995 to cover 16.5 kilometers with 17 stations, 15 of them underground, one elevated, and one at surface level, and the city of more than 11 million will also have a 68-kilometer tram network to help relieve congestion and diminish air pollution from automobile exhausts, buses, and trucks (see New Delhi, 2002).

The New York Times publishes its "Shipping/Mails" column for the last time April 15. New York remains the nation's leading commercial shipping port, but passenger volume in the port has dwindled to 400,000, down from 900,000 in 1960, and most of the arrivals and departures are cruise ships. Jet planes have almost completely supplanted transatlantic passenger liners.

Virgin Atlantic Airways is founded by British gramophone-record magnate Richard Branson, now 33, who leases a single plane from Boeing (the deal allows him to walk away from the venture if it falters) and undercuts the fares of competing transatlantic carriers. By 1988 Branson will be offering economy-class passengers individual video machines and a year later will be giving business-class passengers free manicures and massages.

The Taurus introduced by Ford Motor Company has cost about $3 billion to develop but will help the company counter inroads by foreign makes and become more profitable than General Motors. A full-size car, its front-wheel drive and sleek European styling combine with fuel efficiency to make it popular.