Railroads were the first big business enterprises of America and made possible many other industries. They knitted our expansive nation together and ably transported people, materials, supplies, goods, and mail. Literally hundreds, if not thousands, of railroads were built in the United States during the nineteenth century. Among the more colorful was the New York and New England Railroad, which connected Boston with the Hudson River via the uplands of Connecticut. If ever a company had its share of trials and tribulations it was this firm. Yet its fascinating, topsy-turvy past is today largely forgotten. This work brings to life how the New York and New England Railroad evolved from humble beginnings to becoming a potent transportation force. Meticulously researched with many period images and a lively text, our journey begins in the 1840s and lasts until the late 1890s. Climb aboard for a special trip into this unique chapter of American railroad history!

Richly comprehensive history, featuring more than 100 photographs and contemporary prints. Involving struggles against nature, corrupt politicians, and other obstacles, the colorful account abounds in tales of ingenuity and colossal achievement.

This work presents a view of the history of American railroads in the nineteenth century from a somewhat different perspective. The maturation of the railroad is traced through an exposition of the railroad technology that was developed and applied during the period. Throughout the nineteenth century, a symbiotic relationship existed between railroading and technology, each dependent upon the state and progress of the other to a large degree. A great deal of new technology was created for the railroad, and the railroad, in turn, applied new technology as it became available. Volume four is about bridges and tunnels, and signals. An exposition of the various types of bridges, their foundations, and the materials of which they were made is included. Tunnels and marine railroad operations are treated also. The development of signal systems is an area that has been overlooked or neglected in the general literature but is fully covered here. The text of this volume is accompanied by 145 illustrations and accurate drawings of the equipment and appliances, many of which have not been published before outside of old technical journals. Anthony J. Bianculli is a mechanical engineer with extensive and varied experience in a Fortune 500 company.

A lively narrative connecting Wesleyan University's early history to economic, religious, urban, and educational developments in 19th-century America.