In 1866, Westinghouse was aboard a train that had to come to a sudden halt to avoid colliding with a wrecked train. To stop the train, brakemen manually applied brakes to each individual car based on a signal from the engineer.
Early railcar brakes were activated manually. Rail companies hired brakemen and assigned them to turn manual wheels to actuate railcar brakes. Signaling standards were devised, typically consisting of using the whistle to signal the brakemen.
Perceiving that increased safety on the new system of transportation was necessary for further development, Westinghouse invented and patented a compressed-air brake system in April 1869 to replace the standard manual braking system, which was often faulty.
George's invention worked with compressed air which released brakes off the wheels, if air pressure was lowered, or accidentally leaked, the brakes would activate. This system is the root of modern rail braking systems and related to brakes for large trucks. That July 1869 he founded the Westinghouse Air Brake Company.
In 1873, Westinghouse refined his braking system, developing an automatic braking system in which each piece of railroad rolling stock was equipped with an air reservoir and a triple valve, also known as a control valve.
The new braking system made it possible for trains to travel safely at much higher speeds. By 1877 most American railroads had outfitted their passenger trains with airbrakes, and one railroads editor declared that “no road claims to be first class that does not employ (them).”
Invention air brake by Westinghouse
