Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- George Westinghouse, Jr. letter
- Dates:
- 1890
- Abstract:
- A typewritten letter, signed, from George Westinghouse Jr. to Charles Francis Adams mentioning the sale of freight car brakes to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the New York Central System.
- Extent:
- .167 Linear Feet 1 folder
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], George Westinghouse, Jr. Letter, MS 375, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
A typewritten letter, signed, from George Westinghouse Jr. to Charles Francis Adams mentioning the sale of freight car brakes to the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and the New York Central System.
- Biographical / historical:
-
George Westinghouse Jr. (October 6, 1846 – March 12, 1914) was a prolific American inventor, engineer, and entrepreneurial industrialist based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his creation of the railway air brake and for being a pioneer in the development and use of alternating current (AC) electrical power distribution. During his career, he received 360 patents for his inventions and established 61 companies, many of which still exist today.
His invention of a train braking system using compressed air revolutionized the railroad industry around the world. He founded the Westinghouse Air Brake Company in 1869. He and his engineers also developed track-switching and signaling systems, which lead to the founding of the company Union Switch & Signal in 1881.
In the early 1880s, he developed inventions for the safe production, transmission, and use of natural gas. This sparked the creation of a whole new energy industry.
- Processing information:
-
Formerly part of MS 1.81
- Arrangement:
-
Single item
- Physical location:
- Statewide Museum Collections Center
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Places:
- Correspondence--Letters
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-09-24 20:15:05 +0000 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research by appointment. Contact Library Staff
- Terms of access:
-
Copyright has not been assigned to the California State Railroad Museum. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the CSRM Library & Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the CSRM as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], George Westinghouse, Jr. Letter, MS 375, California State Railroad Museum Library & Archives, Sacramento, California.
- Location of this collection:
-
111 I StreetSacramento, CA 95814, US
- Contact:
- (916) 323-8073