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The Birth of a Genius
George was born in Central Bridge New York on October 6th. He was born to an inventive father George Sr. and mother Emeline. -
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George's Life
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Moving to Schenecdary
At age 12 George's father got a job at a machinery factory in Shenectary New York. So in the summer of 1859 George's family moved from Central Bridge to Schenecdary. -
Civil War
Right before George was about to finish high school, he was forced to join to fight in the Civil War. So at age 17 he joined the Union Army and faught for a year. Afterwards he returned to finish his schooling. -
First Patent
At age 19 George was already making an impact on the rail roading industry. His his first patent was on a rotary steam engine. -
Married Marguerite Erskine Walker
George got married to Marguerite Erskine who he had met while on a buisness trip for his rotary steam engine. Marguerite and George ended up having a child George the third. George and Marguerite on a train; she was an artist. They married, on August 8, 1867 and had one child, George Westinghouse III. -
Move to Pittsburgh
George decided to move to Pittsburgh to attain cheaper steel and more business. Here he was able to develop many buisness' and create new jobs,most notably Westinghouse Electric. -
Westinghouse Air Brake
George obtained a patent for an air brake system for railroad cars. It would revolutionize both passenger and freight train cars. -
founded westinghouse air brake company
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Electric Signal Controls for Railroads
He developed a complete electrical and compressed-air signal system. These ideas evolved into the Union Switch and Signal Company, founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1881. -
buys and transforms a company to pump natural gas all over pittsburgh
Natural gas caught Westinghouse’s attention after a well drilled on his own property produced a large flow of gas, In 1885 he purchased the charter of the Philadelphia Co. Westinghouse supplied gas to thousands of private houses in Pittsburgh through many miles of pipe lines -
Westinghouse electric creates
His faith in the alternating-current system led to the founding of the Westinghouse Electric Company in 1886, in bold opposition to the well-entrenched backers of the direct-current system, led by Thomas Edison. -
Niagara Falls Energized
Westinghouse received its first contract to install three generators at Niagara Falls. This would create electric energy that could be used all over. -
Steam Engines and Gas Engines
George began the development of gas engines and built high-speed steam engines. Now by at this point he created the top of the line train in the world with his air brake and the engine. -
INDUSTRY BOOM
His companies were worth about $120 million; he also employed over 50,000 workers. He at one point had the second highest amount of emploies in Pittsburgh (The most employed buisness was the steel industry). -
Compressed Air Spring Invented
He invented a compressed air spring that took the shock out of automobile riding. This aloud drivers to not feel such a jerk when they slammed on their brakes. -
George Westinghouse Dies
George Westinghouse dies after a long illness; he spend the last months of his life in a wheelchair. During his death they found a new advanced compressed air brake drawing he was desingning.
