End of the Line - by Don McIver (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1857, the Desjardins Canal bridge collapsed and 60 lives were lost. The story of how the Great Western Railway was conceived, where it was located, and how it was constructed is replete with high irony covering politics, skullduggery, and bold entrepreneurship.

Book Synopsis

In 1857 a Toronto-to-Hamilton train crashed on the Desjardins Canal bridge. Sixty people died, making it one of the worst railway disasters in North America. These are the stories of those associated with the bridge's construction and those who perished in the accident, capturing the ebullient economic confidence of pre-Confederation Canada.

Review Quotes

It's clear that McIver's work is a labour of love, which mitigates the potential of this tragic event and the circumstances that prevailed, from being faded from memory. At approximately 200 pages, the book is well written and educational. McIver's use of the English language is superb. End of the Line is essential reading for anyone who is interested in rail, historical Hamilton or the lessons learned from our past.

A very interesting study into one of the early tragedies on Canadian Railways presented in a readable style and packed with information.

With accounts from survivors, quotes from newspapers, and images of the disaster and of those involved, McIver takes readers to the minutes before a wheel axle broke on the Toronto-to-Hamilton train...

About the Author

Don McIver was chief economist with a major Canadian financial institution while living in Burlington, Ontario. His research frequently took him to the train-wreck site and various locations significant to the drama in End of the Line. McIver has held senior postings at the Conference Board of Canada, the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies, and the Canadian Bankers Association. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.