John Trautwine

John Cresson Trautwine (March 30, 1810, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – September 14, 1883, Philadelphia) was an American engineer, architect, and author.

He was a consultant on numerous canal project in North and South America. His most remembered statement was that he reported in 1852 that a canal through Panama would be impossible.

Railways

Between 1831 and 1836 he was an engineer on several railways and in 1836-42 was chief engineer of the Hiawassee Railway, connecting Georgia and Tennessee. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_International_Encyclopedia] He executed surveys (1850) for the Panama Railway, for the Lackawanna and Lanesborough Railway (1856) in Susquehanna County, Pa., and for a railway route across Honduras (1857).

Literary works

* " [http://www.archive.org/details/newmethodofcalcu00trauiala Method of Calculating the Cubic Contents of Excavations and Embankments] " (1851)
* " [http://www.archive.org/details/fieldpracticeofl00traurich Field Practice for Laying out Circular Curves for Railroads] " (1851)
* "Civil engineers pocket book", 1871 ( [http://www.archive.org/details/civilenginpocket00traurich 1904 edition] prepared by J. C. Trautwine III) The "Pocketbook" was long known as the "engineer's bible" and under the editorship of John C. Trautwine 2nd and 3rd passed through many editions. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_International_Encyclopedia]

References

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12907 Find-A-Grave biography]

See also

* Thomas Ustick Walter, (1804-1887)
* John Cresson Trautwine, Jr. (1850 - 1924)
* William Strickland, (1788 - 1854) (student)

External links

* http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/21603
* http://www.earlyrepublic.net/BIOG-T.htm
* http://www.picturehistory.com/find/p/20642/g/1/mcms.html (photo)