Albert Alonzo Robinson
Encyclopedia
Albert Alonzo Robinson sometimes referred to as Albert A. Robinson or A. A. Robinson, was an American
civil engineer
who rose through the ranks of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
to eventually become the railroad's vice president
and general manager
. After resigning from the Santa Fe, Robinson became president of the Mexican Central Railway
.
, where Robinson worked as a clerk in his stepfather's store until 1861. When his stepfather became ill and closed the family store, Robinson turned to tobacco
farming for a few years to support the family. In 1865 he enrolled at the University of Michigan
where one of his older brothers, Stillman W. Robinson, was a faculty member. He graduated there in 1869, and two years later he earned a Master of Science degree. In 1900 he was awarded a Doctor of Laws degree.
, to Chicago, Illinois, and the railroad's expansion into Texas
and New Mexico
before he resigned in 1893.
In 1893, when the Santa Fe entered receivership, he was the popular choice among the railroad's employees to become president. But it was Joseph Reinhart
, whose connections in the financial industry played a more important role, who became the Santa Fe's president. Robinson resigned from the Santa Fe to take the presidency of the Mexican Central Railway
instead. This move may have been the best for Robinson after all as the Santa Fe struggled to regain solvency for the next year and as the press placed the blame for the railroad's collapse squarely on Reinhart.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
who rose through the ranks of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
to eventually become the railroad's vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
and general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
. After resigning from the Santa Fe, Robinson became president of the Mexican Central Railway
Mexican Central Railway
The Mexican Central Railway was one of the primary pre-nationalization railways of Mexico. Incorporated in Massachusetts in 1880, it opened the main line in March 1884, linking Mexico City to Ciudad Juárez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso and connections to the Southern Pacific Railroad, Texas...
.
Youth and education
He was born on October 21, 1844, near South Reading, Vermont. His mother moved the family, after his father's death, to WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, where Robinson worked as a clerk in his stepfather's store until 1861. When his stepfather became ill and closed the family store, Robinson turned to tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
farming for a few years to support the family. In 1865 he enrolled at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where one of his older brothers, Stillman W. Robinson, was a faculty member. He graduated there in 1869, and two years later he earned a Master of Science degree. In 1900 he was awarded a Doctor of Laws degree.
Railroad career
While studying for his advanced degrees, Robinson worked for the St. Joseph and Denver City Railroad in 1869 and 1870. He began his employment with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway on April 1, 1871. Robinson took on many railroad building challenges for the Santa Fe, and under his guidance, the railroad built nearly 5,000 miles of track, including the connection from Topeka, KansasTopeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
, to Chicago, Illinois, and the railroad's expansion into Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
before he resigned in 1893.
In 1893, when the Santa Fe entered receivership, he was the popular choice among the railroad's employees to become president. But it was Joseph Reinhart
Joseph Reinhart
Joseph W. Reinhart was the twelfth president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.Reinhart ascended to the Santa Fe's presidency on December 23, 1893, when he was appointed a receiver of the railroad along with John J. McCook and Joseph C. Wilson...
, whose connections in the financial industry played a more important role, who became the Santa Fe's president. Robinson resigned from the Santa Fe to take the presidency of the Mexican Central Railway
Mexican Central Railway
The Mexican Central Railway was one of the primary pre-nationalization railways of Mexico. Incorporated in Massachusetts in 1880, it opened the main line in March 1884, linking Mexico City to Ciudad Juárez, across the Rio Grande from El Paso and connections to the Southern Pacific Railroad, Texas...
instead. This move may have been the best for Robinson after all as the Santa Fe struggled to regain solvency for the next year and as the press placed the blame for the railroad's collapse squarely on Reinhart.