Well, that is quite an imaginative fantasy. Nice period flavor, but didn't some pan-continental railroads already get built?

Ben Williams died last year after an interesting life of hybridizing roses in Maryland. I was fortunate to have met him and talked roses with him a number of times. He created roses with really interesting colors. I think his Orange Flame is the brigtest orange I may ever see. He also intro'd through Hortico a striped HT that I really want to see. He was the first to appreciate the 'hole' in rose sizes between the minis and the floribunda-HT moderns and he coined the word "Mini-flora" and I think he held a copywrite on it. He (again, I think) assigned that right to the 'rose world' via the ARS. (I may be getting this wrong, I haven't seen this in writing.) I think his Red Fountains is one of the best trasitions between the once blooming ramblers and the repeat blooming moderns. It was one of the first I grew in Houston where a magnificent spring first flush depended on some cold temps in December (Sorry, but that won't be applicable to your NY conditions.)

In NC (at least my jurisdiction) it is code to do a manual J. That being said, my HVAC contactor did the manual J (I've seen it) and then ignored it. He actually put 4 tons upstairs where the load called for just over 2. (This was redone down to 3 as Carrier doesn't make a 2.5 Infinity) The manual J is imperfect. The latest version doesn't accout for a radiant barrier in the attic which reportedly can save 15% on a/c bills (and would be the determining factor for sizing in the South). Infiltration for your house will likely be better than average if you are building your own house or watching it closely. I personally foamed all penetrations into the attic and I bet that made a significant difference in infiltration. You wouldn't believe the holes in fan housings etc. Now if they did the Manual J after the blower door test, then I'd trust some numbers (although the blower door test is itself imperfect). Our infiltration was 50% of the energy star standard before I had finished a few things. It really isn't possible (I don't think) as the units are hooked up by then. Although, that maybe only because they test the ducts at the same time as the blower door test. I just know when we were at that point, the units were already installed. Anyway - the manual J is an absolute requirement. Just know that it is imperfect.

I'm not fond of seafood. The last time we ate here the food was terrible- we are not likely to try it again.