I tried the “ask a friend” trick on Facebook, trying to find a book I vaguely remembered reading years ago.
There were moving sidewalks, like in airports, but in a series at faster and faster speeds. I googled it and found one possibility: The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov. Art Slade suggested Heinlein’s The Roads Must Roll, but the Wiki description wasn’t at all familiar to me; I don’t think I’ve ever read it. Eric Orchard found a wiki sight on moving walkways with some sci fi books listed, including The Roads Must Roll and The Caves of Steel. Danny Levinson suggested Heinlein, too, and then asked for more clues. And – ah ha – he found the scene on-line, in Galaxy Magazine November 1953. It is, indeed. The Caves of Steel.
Thank you to everyone for doing my research for me. And thanks for the brilliant minds that give us this computing power.
If I was in a rush I could just read it on-line at the Galaxy Magazine at the Internet Archive, but I’d rather read a paper book. The Calgary Public Library doesn’t have it on paper, so I’ve put it on hold with the province-wide library system.
And voila – my work is done.
Maureen
