From Library Journal
A civil engineer, historian, and prolific author of railroad and engineering history, Middleton recalls the triumph and tragedy of the design and construction of the massive Qu?bec Bridge. Built to cultivate development of Qu?bec trade, and triumphant in its construction, the widely acclaimed bridge becomes a symbol of the indomitable spirit and achievement of the builders yet one of eventual failure of purpose. Middleton vividly recounts 70 years of deliberate and painstaking choices a suitable site, a bridge type, design engineering, financing and the demanding and dangerous construction techniques used to span the formidable St. Lawrence River. The dramatic events leading to a tragic collapse of the partially constructed bridge, the determined reconstruction, and a second tragic collapse assure the immortality of the longest cantilever span ever built. Meticulously researched and containing over 130 illustrations and a glossary, this book clearly interprets design theory, construction procedure, and the economic conditions that forced the bridge into a secondary transportation role. For historical transportation and engineering collections and all academic libraries. John E. Hodgkins, Yarmouth, ME
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the author
William D. Middleton is a 1950 civil engineering graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia and Wisconsin. His professional career has included 29 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy's Civil Engineer Corps and 13 years as chief facilities officer for the University of Virginia. He has also been active as a transportation and engineering historian and journalist, with 16 books and nearly 500 articles to his credit. His published books include a number of titles concerned with the history of electric railways and rail transit in North America, and histories of New York's Grand Central Terminal and Pennsylvania Station. He has written about electric railways, cable cars, and Penn Station for American Heritage and American Heritage of Invention and Technology. His most recent book is "Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take": Railway Journeys by William D. Middleton.
