by David Szalay
First published 2024
William J. Wilgus faces a monumental challenge when he sets out to create a new electric train system for New York City. The experienced engineer knows his innovative fleet needs an extraordinary home. His solution becomes one of the most ambitious construction projects in the city's history. Wilgus envisions an underground multilevel station that will house not just trains, but an entire world beneath the streets. His design includes a tennis club, movie theater, art gallery, secret passageway, massive library, and even a ski slope. As construction progresses, Wilgus must overcome technical obstacles and skeptics who doubt his vision. The project tests his engineering skills and determination at every turn. When Grand Central Terminal finally opens, it transforms how millions of people move through the city. Megan Hoyt brings Wilgus and his remarkable achievement to life in this picture book biography that celebrates creative problem solving and persistence.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, architecture, engineering
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: creative-problem-solving, persistence
Setting: New York City
Period: 20th-century
48 pages · Hardcover · Quill Tree Books