George Westinghouse (1846-1914) served in the American Civil War as a teenager. Afterwards, at the age of 19, he created his first invention, a rotary steam engine. In 1869, at age 22, Westinghouse invented a railroad braking system using compressed air, and this became the basis of his first major business venture, the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. His important contributions to electric power generation, distribution and application began later in the 19th century. This brochure highlights the career of Westinghouse and his great accomplishments.]]> Westinghouse Electric Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Siemens and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>