W. David Yates is an American author and civil engineer. He is best known for his books on engineering and transportation. Yates was born in Massachusetts in 1873. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1896 with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation, he worked for the Boston & Maine Railroad and the New York Central Railroad. He also worked as a consulting engineer for various companies. In 1908, Yates published his first book, Principles of Railroad Engineering. The book was a success and led to him writing more books on engineering and transportation. He wrote about topics such as railway construction, track design, and signal systems. He also wrote about the history of railways and the development of the railways in the United States. Yates was a leading expert on railways and was often consulted by government agencies and railway companies. He served on the Board of Directors of the American Railway Engineering Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was also a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Yates died in 1951 at the age of 77. His books continue to be used by engineers and students today.