George Westinghouse

George Westinghouse
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Name	George Westinghouse
Caption	George Westinghouse c. 1890
Birth date	6 October 1846
Birth place	Central Bridge, New York, U.S.
Death date	12 March 1914
Death place	New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Entrepreneur, Engineer
Known for	Railway air brake, Alternating current promotion
Spouse	Marguerite Erskine Walker, 1867

George Westinghouse was a prolific American inventor and industrialist whose innovations fundamentally transformed the railroad and electrical power industries. He is best known for his invention of the railway air brake and for championing alternating current (AC) electrical systems over Thomas Edison's direct current (DC), a pivotal conflict known as the War of the Currents. His entrepreneurial vision led to the founding of the Westinghouse Electric Company, which became a global industrial giant, and he held over 360 patents during his lifetime.

Early life and education

Born in Central Bridge, New York, he was the eighth of ten children to Emeline Vedder and George Westinghouse Sr., who operated a machine shop. His early education was in the public schools of Schenectady, New York, where he demonstrated a keen mechanical aptitude. At the outbreak of the American Civil War, he enlisted in the New York National Guard at age fifteen and later served in the Union Army and United States Navy. After the war, he briefly attended Union College but left after only three months to focus on his inventions, beginning his career in his father's shop.

Career and inventions

His first major invention was the railway air brake in 1869, a revolutionary safety device that allowed a train's engineer to control brakes on all cars simultaneously via compressed air, dramatically reducing railroad accidents. He founded the Westinghouse Air Brake Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to manufacture it. Subsequent innovations included an improved railroad frog and the invention of automatic railway signaling systems. His work extended into natural gas, where he developed a safe distribution system after an explosion in Pittsburgh, forming the Philadelphia Company to supply the city. This diverse engineering experience laid the groundwork for his entry into the burgeoning field of electrical power.

Westinghouse Electric Company

Recognizing the potential of Nikola Tesla's polyphase system, he licensed Tesla's patents for AC motors and transformers in 1888. He founded the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company to challenge the Edison General Electric Company in the War of the Currents. The company's triumph was showcased by powering the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and constructing the first large-scale hydroelectric power plant at Niagara Falls. The company also pioneered in electric locomotives and streetcar systems. Despite financial turmoil during the Panic of 1907, the company survived and became a cornerstone of American industry, later involved in developments like radio broadcasting under the RCA umbrella.

Later life and legacy

After losing control of his companies in 1907, he gradually withdrew from active management. His legacy is immense, having established over sixty companies and employing tens of thousands. His advocacy for alternating current established it as the global standard for power generation and transmission. The Westinghouse Electric Corporation remained a major force in electrical engineering, nuclear power via the Naval Reactors program, and broadcasting for much of the 20th century. Institutions like the Westinghouse Science Talent Search (now the Regeneron Science Talent Search) continue to promote his belief in technological progress. He was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Personal life and death

He married Marguerite Erskine Walker in 1867, and they had one son, George Westinghouse III. Known for fair labor practices, he instituted the Saturday half-holiday and provided his workers with benefits uncommon for the era. In his later years, he suffered from heart disease. He died in New York City on March 12, 1914, at age 67. Following a simple funeral at St. Patrick's Cathedral, he was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, a tribute to his military service. His former estate, Solitude, is now part of the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.

Category:American inventors Category:American businesspeople Category:1846 births Category:1914 deaths