Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Comission
Explore Pa History: George Westinghouse
Read about George Westinghouse's invention, the train air brake, that revolutionized the safety of trains and train travel. Find out how the air brake worked and why it was such an important invention for the railroads.
Other
Railroad Archive: Westinghouse Air Brake
Everything necessary to know about the Westinghouse Air Brake for railroad cars is included on this site. There are diagrams of the air pump, triple valve, and advice on how to use the brake correctly. This brake was a life-saver for...
Library of Congress
Loc: About George Westinghouse
This is a detailed biography about George Westinghouse with a link to an article about Westinghouse from the Wilmerding News, 1904. Read about his many inventions that improved railroad safety.
Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum
Cprr Photographic History Museum: Car Builder's Dictionary, 1884
Here you will find drawings from the 1884 book which details the various train cars in use at the time. There are drawings of two Pullman rail cars, as well as "emigrant sleeping cars," which were gave free transportation to emigrants...
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Granville T. Woods
A fascinating biography of Granville T. Woods. It tells of his impact on railroad transportation, and how some of his inventions are still used today. Links with additional information are also available.
Great Idea Finder
The Great Idea Finder: Inventor Granville Woods Biography
A detailed biography of Granville T. Woods, who was known as "the Black Edison" because of his many inventions. He is best known for greatly improving the safety of railroads by his invention of the Multiplex Railway Telegraph.
Great Idea Finder
The Great Idea Finder: Inventor George Westinghouse Biography
A very readable biography of George Westinghouse, Jr., inverntor of the train air brake, among many other things. Find a list of his achievements and a discussion of the development of his inventions.
PBS
Pbs: American Experience: Made in Chicago: The Refrigerated Rail Car
This brief description explains how the refrigerated rail car worked and why it was so important to the shipment of meat products from the Midewest to the east.
PBS
Pbs: Who Made America?: George Westinghouse, Jr.
From the series, They Made America, on PBS, this biography of George Westinghouse tells about his development of the air brake for railroad cars, and his experimentation with alternating current that revolutionized the transmission of...
Other
Black Inventor Online Museum: Andrew Beard
A short biography of Andrew Beard, whose invention improved the safety of railroads in the 19th century.
Chicago History Museum
Chicago History Museum: Pullman Luxury Rail Car
Read about the luxurious rail car George Pullman introduced that made transcontinental rail travel so desirable.
Other
Bhra: Granville Woods
Read this homage to Granville Woods, whose inventions and improvements to the railway system not only made railroad travel safer, but also made the New York City railway system a possibility.
Other
African American Inventors and Their Inventions: Granville T. Woods
Here is a thorough biography of inventor Granville T. Woods, who is credited with improving railway safety for bot the trains and trainmen. Find out what concepts in railroad safety are still being used today.
Other
Westinghouse Electric Co.: George Westinghouse
A brief biography from the company that bears his name. George Westinghouse was a prolific inventor, and this biography recounts his many inventions, beginning with the air brake which greatly increased safety on the railroads.
Other
Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography: George Pullman
This biography of George Pullman outlines his business acumen in the development of the Pullman railroad sleeper car, which offered luxury on long train trips. Read the description of the company town he developed in Illinois to house...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: Granville T. Woods: The Multiplex Telegraph
A description of Granville Woods' successful invention, the multiplex telegraph, which greatly improved railroad safety. From the Lemelson-MIT Project.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: George Westinghouse
This brief article on the life and contributions of George Westinghouse (1846-1914) includes a picture. Read about his air brake as well as his development of the alternating current system.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Portraits of American Railroading: Gustavus F. Swift
Read a brief biography of Gustavus Swift, who was at the forefront of developing the refrigerato rail car that revolutionized shipment of meat from the Midwest to the East.
Library of Congress
Loc: The Westinghouse World
This has detailed information about the various historical Westinghouse plants and their working conditions. Also includes information about George Westinghouse and "Life in Wilmerding, home of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company."
Ohio History Central
Ohio History Central: Granville T. Woods
A biography of Granville T. Woods, who used his knowledge of machinery to establish his own company and invent many different improvements for the railroad.
Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg Learner: Biography of America: Gustavus Swift and the Refrigerator Car
This article provides an account of Gustavus Swift's development of the vertically integrated cattle industry through his use of the refrigerated rail car. From Industrial Supremacy, part of Annenberg Media's Biography of America.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Binding the Nation by Rail
Read about the explosive growth of railroad track across the United States after the Civil War. Find out about the building of the Transcontinental Railroad, the men who made fortunes from the railroads, and the first American regulatory...
National Inventors Hall of Fame
National Inventors Hall of Fame: George Westinghouse
Find information about George Westinghouse's contributions to both railroad safety and the adoption of alternating current for motors and the transmission of electricity.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Inventor of the Week: Granville T. Woods
Inventor Granville T. Woods is featured in this brief biography for his multiplex telegraph which was a useful invention for the railroad industry.