Henry M. Brinckerhoff (1868–1949) was a pioneering highway engineer who in 1906 partnered with

William Barclay Parsons William Barclay Parsons Jr. (April 15, 1859 – May 9, 1932) was an American civil engineer. He founded Parsons Brinckerhoff, one of the largest American civil engineering firms. Early life Parsons was born on April 15, 1859 in New York City, ...

to found what would eventually be known as

Parsons Brinckerhoff WSP USA, formerly Parsons Brinckerhoff, is an American multinational engineering and design firm. The firm operates in the fields of strategic consulting, planning, engineering, construction management, energy, infrastructure and community plann ...

, one of the largest transportation, planning and engineering companies in the United States. Brinckerhoff specialized in electric railways and he is best known for his co-invention of the

third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a track (r ...

, which revolutionized rapid transit. He subsequently played a key role in the planning and development of transit systems of Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Brinckerhoff also designed the network of roads at the

1939 New York World's Fair The 1939 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The fair included exhibitio ...

References

{{authority control American engineers 1868 births 1949 deaths