Westinghouse Automatic Air Brake
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Westinghouse Automatic Air Brake
Today, the air brake is the standard, fail-safe train brake used by railways worldwide. Early train brakes were hand operated and largely ineffective. To achieve higher and safe speeds, the American inventor George Westinghouse brought out an air brake in 1869. Unfortunately, if a hose burst or the train broke in two the brakes on the entire train became useless. Also the brakes worked unevenly throughout the train and could cause the carriages or cars to collide. Westinghouse introduced the automatic air brake in 1873. Putting a quick-action triple valve and an auxiliary reservoir under each vehicle ensured independent braking power and the automatic application of the brakes on the whole train. The illustration shows the essential parts of the automatic air brake and their arrangement on the engine, tender, and passenger car current at the end of the 19c
Science Photo Library features Science and Medical images including photos and illustrations
Media ID 6355367
© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Carriage Coach Components Engine Fail Safe Locomotive Railway Steam Train Tender Trains 19th C Passenger Car Westinghouse
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print from Science Photo Library showcases the groundbreaking Westinghouse Automatic Air Brake, a revolutionary invention that transformed the railway industry. In the 19th century, hand-operated train brakes were not only inefficient but also posed significant safety risks. Enter George Westinghouse, an American inventor who introduced the air brake in 1869. Initially, this innovative braking system faced challenges as a burst hose or train separation rendered it useless for the entire train. Moreover, uneven brake performance often led to dangerous collisions between carriages and cars. However, Westinghouse's genius didn't stop there. In 1873, he unveiled his masterpiece: the automatic air brake. This game-changing improvement incorporated a quick-action triple valve and an auxiliary reservoir beneath each vehicle of the train. By doing so, independent braking power was achieved along with automatic application throughout the entire train. The illustration accompanying this caption provides insight into how these essential components were arranged on various parts of a steam-powered locomotive - including its engine, tender (the vehicle carrying fuel), and passenger carriage - during that era. Today, thanks to George Westinghouse's pioneering work and subsequent advancements inspired by his invention, railways worldwide rely on fail-safe air brakes as their standard braking mechanism. This remarkable photograph serves as a testament to human ingenuity and innovation in shaping safer transportation systems for generations to come.
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