Grand Central's Engineer: William J. Wilgus and the Planning of Modern Manhattan

INDEX

267 Adams, Thomas, 236–38 AEF. See American Expeditionary Forces agricultural products, 15, 19–20, 20, 26, 79 airplanes and airline industry, 166, 181, 182, 217 air rights: building construction and, 60, 69, 71, 71; continued profits from, 224, 230; elevated railroads and, 111, 137; as Grand Central resource, 2, 49–50 Albion, Robert, 14, 16 American Expeditionary Forces (AEF): accomplishments of transportation in, 160, 161; lessons for WJW, 162; ports and operating equipment of, 155, 156, 157, 157–60, 158; supply and troop trains of, 154, 154–55, 155, 159, 159–60, 160; transportation needs of, 151–52, 263n32; transportation organization for, 152–55; troop numbers of, 152, 153, 153; WJW’s resignation from service, 160–61 American Locomotive Company, 65 American Society of Civil Engineers : Port Authority legislation and, 178; Transactions (journal ) of, 69, 71, 194–95; tunnel projects discussed, 203, 221; tunnel tolls discussed, 216; “west side problem” and, 85; WJW’s membership in, 42 Amman, O. H., 236–38 Amsterdam Corporation: departure of Pierce, 161; establishment of, 74; freight subway plan of, 89–103, 91; Inter-Terminal Belt Line syndicate of, 118–19; “west side problem” study of, 86–89. See also Pierce, Henry J.; Wilgus, William John Army Transportation Service. See American Expeditionary Forces Arnold, Bion, 4, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57 automatic-electric system plan, 174–77, 175, 176, 177 automobile and truck transportation : bus companies, 213; carbon monoxide emissions, 206–10, 208, 209, 210, 213; emergence and growth of, 105, 137, 162, 192, 253; ferry transfers of, 198; mass transit decline due to, 239–41; number of vehicles, 9, 253–54; Port Authority central to, 178, 180, 180–82, 181, 240. See also bridges; freight shipping via trucks; roads and highways; tunnels Baltimore, port operations, 149, 183 Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, 35, 35, 39, 39, 89, 169–70, 228, 253 Bangor & Aroostook Railroad, 88, 219 Bassett, Edward M., 86, 89, 95, 119 Beach, A. E., 186 Bell Telephone Laboratory building , 136 Belmont, August, 96, 114, 116–17, 128 belt line railroad concept: in automatic -electric system plan, 174– 77, 175, 176, 177; function of, 141, 145–46; Harbor Commission on, 166; Narrows Tunnel project linked to creation of, 220– 24, 221, 226–30, 232; Port Authority ’s proposal for, 219–20, 221; proposed for metropolitan area, 89, 90, 146–49, 147. See also Inter-Terminal Belt Line Biltmore Hotel, 69 Blackwell’s Island Bridge (later 59th Street Bridge), 192 Board of Consulting Engineers (Holland Tunnel): construction method considered, 200–206; role of, 196–97; traffic volume considered, 197–200, 198, 199; ventilation system considered, 206–10, 208, 209, 210, 211; work completed, 212, 218 Boston: metropolitan district, 142, 143; port operations, 149; shoreline access, 122 Index Page numbers in italics indicate figures, maps, and tables. 268 INDEX 184–85; geography, 11–13, 12; pier and unloading cotton, 21; pier numbers by railroads, 37, 38; piers and congestion of, 84–85, 171, 172–74; piers and Inter-Terminal connections, 122–23. See also ferry service; port of New York Edge, Walter Evans, 150 Edison, Thomas, 50, 51, 55 electric engines: design, 58–59; success, 59–60, 60; ventilation problems minimized with, 195, 201, 206; wreck blamed on, 63–66, 201 electricity: air rights used for funding, 2, 49–50; in belt line and tunnel plan, 174–77, 175, 176, 177; coal power plants to generate, 57–58; direct vs. alternating current, 55–57; key to Grand Central Terminal, 2, 47– 48, 50, 51–52; key to subway, 112–13; third rail distribution of, 54, 57; transmission issues for, 51, 52–53, 55–56; trolleys and street railways powered by, 5, 51, 113. See also electric engines Electric Traction Commission: decisions, 53–60; members, 4, 52; model of, 196; wreck blamed on, 64–66, 201 elevated railroads: city-railroad negotiations on, 103; costs of building, 113; financial details of, 111, 115; High Line (freight), 104–5, 135–37, 136, 139, 254; Inter-Terminal as alternative to, 129–30; on Manhattan shoreline , 122–23; opening and success of, 110–12, 112; ridership , 117, 122; steam vs. electric power for, 51, 85; WJW’s view of freight use of, 146. See also Inter-Terminal Belt Line engineering: faith in possibilities of, 194; professionalization in, 43; role in tunnels, 189–90; scienti fic basis of, 56–57; WJW’s training in, 3–5 Erie Canal: funding for, 96; map, Charles Browne (shipyard), 17 Chicago: Erie Canal’s importance to, 19–20; freight subway in, 91; population (1880), 31...