The Bridge at Quebec [Hardcover]

William D. Middleton (Author)

Book Description

Series: Railroads Past and Present | Publication Date: May 1, 2001

In the middle of the 19th century the leaders of the City of Québec dreamed of a great bridge across the St. Lawrence River. It would link their city to the new railway lines developing along the south shore, giving Québec a competitive edge in its long struggle with Montréal for commercial dominance.

The width and depth of the St. Lawrence necessitated a bridge of unprecedented scale, and many of the best engineers of the time turned their attention to the problem. Three serious proposals for a bridge never materialized. A fourth plan finally moved ahead at the beginning of the 20th century, only to end in of one of the greatest construction failures of all time. In 1907 the incomplete structure collapsed into the river with a loss of 75 lives. From the ruins of this first attempt emerged still another plan. In 1916, when the great bridge was nearing completion, tragedy struck again. As the huge center span was being lifted into place, it fell into the river, taking another 11 lives. It was not until a year later that a replacement was installed, and the great bridge was finally complete.

Today the Québec Bridge stands firmly astride the St. Lawrence, safely carrying the commerce of Canada across its broad waters. No one has yet built a longer cantilever span, so the bridge still ranks as the greatest of its kind.

The Bridge at Québec provides a full account of the long effort to build a bridge at this difficult site, with particular emphasis on the extraordinary story of the failure of the first one, the human tragedies that accompanied it, and the lessons that its story holds today for engineers and builders as they continue to extend the boundaries of technology. Fully illustrated, the book makes clear to the general reader and technical audiences alike the engineering issues involved in constructing one of the world's greatest bridges.

Editorial Reviews

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.

Review

"In this handsome work, civil engineer and historian Middleton traces the history of the Québec (Quebec) Bridge across the St. Lawrence River from its early planning stages in the 1850s, through the construction phase that ended in 1917, and on to the present day. The construction project was a tremendous undertaking, involving the erection of the world's longest cantilevered span. The project was fraught with difficulties, including two of the worst construction accidents in bridge-building history involving the loss of 86 lives. A failure analysis of these collapses is clearly presented in a way that nontechnical readers can understand. The author, who has written a number of books dealing with related matters, has done a thorough job of researching the historical aspects of the Québec (Quebec) Bridge, with the history of the bridge being well illustrated by the large collection of photographs amassed by the author. The book should be of general interest, but particularly so to structural engineers seeking to learn more of the history of their profession. All levels." —Choice

(Choice )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Indiana University Press; Edition Unstated edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0253337615
• ISBN-13: 978-0253337610
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #820,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A look into how Civil Engineering really was back then., January 26, 2012

By 

jofus - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bridge at Quebec (Hardcover)

A truly fine book. I would recommend it to any prospective or freshman engineering student at the least. It tells a story of what it was really like to be in the business back at the turn of the century on a truly monumental project for it's time. The book is semi-technical in content and doesn't overwhelm the reader. The story is truly amazing. It's a fast read and likely to be remembered.

5.0 out of 5 stars TheBridge At Quebec, August 16, 2009

By 

Richard R. Sefi (Monroe, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bridge at Quebec (Hardcover)

In spite of the subject matter: the story of the bridge's construction, it is a book very difficult to put down. It is so engrossing.