The year is 1912, the year the Titanic sank.
Horses are still a big part of the economy.
There had recently been a catastrophic collapse of a big bridge being built in Quebec. And two of the most conservative railroads in the world decided to build a 1017 foot long free span bridge over a busy shipping channel, named by early sailors for its treacherous tidal flows. Oh, by the way, make it four tracks wide, strong enough for trains much heavier than imagined in 1912, and high enough that large ships can pass under it. And, oh yes, no way to put supports in the middle while you're building it, so suspend it out from the banks while it's being built, with huge cranes perched on the uncompleted ends. This is a model Hell Gate Bridge in New York City, while under construction in 1912-1917.