WESTINGHOUSE, (iEow,r, ( 18-16 ). An American inventor and engineer, famous for his invention of the air-brake. Ile was born at Cen tral Bridge, Schoharie County, N. Y., but re moved when a young boy to Schenectady, where he was educated in the public schools. Ilk father was a large manufacturer of agricultural machinery, and Westinghouse spent considerable time in the machine shops, showing his inventive and mechanical genius at an early age. In the Civil War lie served with the Twelfth New York Regiment and the Sixteenth New' York Cavalry until the latter part of 1864, when he became as sistant engineer in the United States Navy. On his return to Schenectady in 1865 lie matricu lated at Union College and studied until the end of the sophomore year, being occupied in the meantime With meehanieal investigations. liis first invention of note was a railway frog, and from this and other railway appliances his at tention was turned to brakes. Realizing the necessity for a power brake, and that it was im possible to use steam, on account of condensation, he experimented with compressed air, which was then beginning to be used as a motive power in European tunneling. In ISO8 he invented the air-brake, which was successfully used in that year and soon came to be employed universally throughout the United States and gradually in Europe. From time to time this important ad junct to railway travel received important and extensive improvements at the bands of Westing house and its efficiency was wonderfully in creased. (See Ain-BRAKE.) Railway signaling also attracted Westinghouse's attention, and many inventions and improvements in safety de vices followed. Becoming interested in elec tricity, Westinghouse acquired patents for alter nating eurrent machinery and immediately de voted himself to the development of this branch.
Through his efforts the alternating current for power and lighting was used on a large scale, notably at the Chicago Exposition of 1893. and in spite of the opposition of the direct-current advocates, came rapidly into widespread use. The induction motor. of Testa and other inven tions that were developed tinder his direction made possible long-distance transmission of power. To construct air-brakes, and electrical and other machines. large works were erected at Pittsburg, which were constantly added to and maintained at. a high degree of efficiency, espe cially as regards equipment and organization. Front tIn?se works were supplied the generators for the great power plants at Niagara Falls. and of the elevated and rapid transit systems of Nev York, while in their different departments were constructed steam and gas engines, steam tur bines, and electrical and other machinery, which in nearly all cases was of improved form, invented or developed in the Westinghouse shops and laboratories. In addition to being the head of a number of corporations, capitalized at sonic $75, 000.000 and employing over 20.000 people, West inghouse established large factories and works in Europe. He was decorated with the French Legion of Honor, the Royal Crown of Italy. and the Order of Leopold. Westinghouse's work in mechanical engineering has always been typical of the best American practice both in the field of invention and in the organization and opera tion of mannfacturing plants, and few works have been operated on a larger scale or more of than those under his control.