Conquering Gotham has been in the works for a long time and I have accrued many debts.
First, I would like to thank my agent, the always wonderful Eric Simonoff of Janklow & Nesbit, and my two excellent editors at Viking, Rick Kot and Hilary Redmon, whose work measurably improved the manuscript, as did that of copy editor extraordinaire Elaine Luthy.
Early on, I worked at the Hagley Museum and Library, where Chris Baer continues to be the ultimate expert on the Pennsylvania Railroad, promptly answering all the many, many questions that have arisen in the course of research and writing. During a half dozen years at the Pennsylvania State Archive in Harrisburg, I was helped by good-natured staffers there: Bill Gordon, Brett Reigh, Michael Sherbon, Willis Shirk, Rich Saylor, Jason Amico, Jonathon Stayer, Jerry Ellis, Judie Marcus and Cynthia Margolies. Gerald A. Francis of the Lower Merion Historical Society outside Philadelphia kindly answered various inquiries. As ever, I have depended on the knowledgeable staff of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library at Johns Hopkins University.
Mark Reutter, editor of Railroad History, has been endlessly helpful and truly generous. He has fielded innumerable e-mails, carefully read the manuscript, proffered invaluable advice, and been a good dinner companion. In Philadelphia, Jeff Groff of Wyck House has been similarly generous, providing entree to the Philadelphia side of the story and also thoroughly reading the manuscript. Through him I met Pliny Jewell, the great-grandson of Samuel Rea. I was also very fortunate to have the help of Cassatt descendants, Jacques de Spoelberch and Polly Maguire, whose husband, Robert, kindly handled my many inquiries and provided materials, including photos. John Marshall, who is writing a biography of PRR president William W. Atterbury, graciously shared a trove of materials. Both Larry Grubb and Dave Sonderblum read early versions of the manuscript, for which many thanks.
Lorraine B. Diehl, whose classic The Late, Great Pennsylvania Station is the original excellent hisory and photo documentation of Penn Station, has been kind and very helpful, especially as I was gathering photos. John Turkeli gave a fascinating tour of the present Penn Station, shared his impressive collection of images, and kindly lent several for illustrations. Cyndy Serfas wielded her technological prowess on behalf of the photos, as did Viking’s Jacqueline Powers.
Karen Hansen and David Melnick put me up many nights in Delaware, as did Peggy and Bob Sarlin in New York, and were, as always, good company.