- The 129 Contract Three, Route 26 photographs show the construction by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) of a portion of the Flushing Line from Grand Central in Manhattan to Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue in Long Island City, Queens (the 7 train). Some of the photographs show the construction of the Steinway Tunnel. Other photographs include views in Queens along 4th Street (now 50th Avenue) and Vernon Avenue (Vernon Boulevard), showing the commercial district including the neighborhood theater.
- The 371 Contract Three, Route 36 & 37 photographs show construction by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) of a portion of the Flushing Line (the 7 train) in Queens from Queensboro Plaza to Alburtis Avenue (now the 103rd Street-Corona Plaza Station), as well as construction along the N line from Queensboro Plaza to Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria.
- The 135 Contract Three, Route 50 photographs show the completion of the Steinway Tunnel and the construction of elevated tracks to the Hunters Point Avenue Station on a portion of the Flushing Line in Queens (the 7 train) by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT). There are many views of Ely Avenue, Van Alst Avenue, and 4th Street in Queens. A series of photographs of buildings on Nott Avenue, Davis Street, and Ely Avenue relate to lawsuits from property owners along the elevated line.
- The 340 Contract Three, Route 52 photographs show construction by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) of the portion of the Flushing Line (the 7 train) along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens from Alburtis Avenue (now the 103rd Street-Corona Plaza Station) to Main Street, Flushing. The route is divided into the following sections: Section 1, Roosevelt Avenue in Corona; Section 2, the Willets Point Boulevard Station; Section 2-3, Flushing Bridge; and Section 3, Flushing-Main Street. There are photographs of downtown Flushing, the Corona Yard, as well as many photographs from 1937-1939 of the Willets Point Boulevard Station showing the station expansion for the New York World's Fair.
- The 545 Contract Four, Route 61 photographs show construction by the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit Corporation (BMT) of the 60th Street Tunnel under the East River alongside the Queensboro Bridge, connecting the Broadway Line in Manhattan with Queensboro Plaza Station in Queens (the N train and W train). There are views of East 60th Street between Second Avenue and Avenue A (Sutton Place) in Manhattan, along with many images of the Queensboro Bridge, tunneling under the East River, and construction of the elevated portion of the line in Queens. Other views include construction on Blackwell Island (now Roosevelt Island).
- The 954 Independent Subway System (IND) Route 104 photographs show the construction of a portion of the Queens Boulevard Line (the E train and F train) from Eighth Avenue and 53rd Street in Manhattan to Long Island City in Queens via the 53rd Street Tunnel. The route covers the following sections: Section 1, West 53rd Street from Eighth Avenue to Sixth Avenue; Section 2, East 53rd Street from Fifth Avenue to Third Avenue; Section 3, from Second Avenue to Sutton Place, then across the East River to Welfare (Roosevelt) Island, and along Nott Avenue (now 44th Drive) and East Avenue (now 11th Street) in Queens. Most images are of 53rd Street in Manhattan from the West Side to the East Side.
- The 4,637 Independent Subway System (IND) Route 107 photographs show construction of the Crosstown Line (the G train) from Smith Street in Brooklyn to Court Square in Queens. The route is divided into the following sections: Section 5, Schermerhorn Street from Smith Street to near Flatbush Avenue; Section 6, Schermerhorn Street and Lafayette Avenue through the area around the Brooklyn Academy of Music to South Portland Avenue; Section 8, Lafayette Avenue from South Portland Avenue to Bedford Avenue; Section 9, Lafayette Avenue from Bedford Avenue to Marcy Avenue, and up Marcy Avenue and Union Avenue to Broadway; Section 10, Union Avenue from Broadway through McCarren Park to Manhattan Avenue; Section 11, Manhattan Avenue from Driggs Avenue to Green Street; Section 12, Manhattan Avenue from Freeman Street in Brooklyn across Newtown Creek to Jackson Avenue in Queens; Section 13 covers a portion of Nott Avenue (now 44th Drive) and Jackson Avenue to Court Square in Queens.
- The 4,468 Independent Subway System (IND) Route 108 photographs show construction of the Queens Boulevard Line (the E train, F train and M train) from Jackson Avenue to 169th Street in Queens. The route covers the following sections: Section 1, Jackson Avenue and 44th Drive to Northern Boulevard and 37th Street; Section 2, Northern Boulevard from 37th Street to 53rd Street, Steinway Street between Northern Boulevard and Broadway, and Broadway from Steinway Street to 53rd Street and Northern Boulevard; Section 3, Broadway from 53rd Street to around 37th Avenue; Section 4, Broadway from around 37th Avenue to Pettit Place; Section 5, Broadway from Pettit Place to Queens Boulevard and Queens Boulevard to 55th Avenue; Section 6, Queens Boulevard from 55th Avenue to 64th Road; Section 7, Queens Boulevard from 64th Road to 71st Road; Section 8, Queens Boulevard from 71st Road to Union Turnpike; Section 9, Queens Boulevard from Union Turnpike to 137th Street (now the Van Wyck Expressway), 137th Street to Hillside Avenue, and Hillside Avenue to around 148th Street; Section 10, Hillside Avenue from around 148th Street to around 162nd Street; and Section 11, Hillside Avenue from around 162nd Street to 169th Street.
- The 668 miscellaneous photographs include those that are not identified by a specific contract or route number. Many photographs relate to construction on subway lines, including the BMT Brighton Line, BMT Myrtle Avenue Line, BMT Sea Beach Line, and BMT Jamaica Line, not otherwise represented in the Subway Construction Photograph Collection. Other photographs show construction of elevated railroads including the Third Avenue El and the Ninth Avenue El; planning for the Queens-Midtown Tunnel under the East River; construction of a bridge over the Harlem River; images relating to electric power supply and power plants; and a series of photographs of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church, Hanson Place and St. Felix Street, showing damage resulting from the construction of the IRT Eastern Parkway Line in Downtown Brooklyn, and the church's subsequent demolition. Thoroughfares documented in the series include East 44th Street and 57th Street in Manhattan, Southern Boulevard in the Bronx, and Fulton Street in Brooklyn.