Herman Haupt was a major figure in the development of American railroads during the 19th century. An engineering graduate of West Point, he helped to construct the Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1850s and rose high in the company's ranks. He spent 6 years attempting to bore the Hoosac Tunnel in Massachusetts but was forced to suspend the work and lost his fortune. During the Civil War, he was director of the Union military operations in the eastern theater. After the war, he became chief engineer of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad, general manager of the Pennsylvania Railroad's southern interests, chief engineer of the first long-distance crude oil pipeline, and general manager of the Northern Pacific. This scholarly yet readable biography paints a fascinating portrait of an important American who helped to shape the nation into the leading industrial power of the 20th century. With photo sections and detailed index. 278 pages. - from Amzon