Economic Impact
A graph of railroad expansion during the invention of air brakes. Click for larger image.
The invention of air brakes greatly helped the United States and foreign economies. With the proper braking for the trains, more train cars full of freight were able to be transported more quickly and safely. The invention of air brakes helped foreign economies all over the world because freight overseas was able to be transported with greater quantities to the docks. Because too many countries in Europe and Asia wanted air brakes, in 1901, The New York Air Brake Company expanded its operations by putting a plant in Russia. An advantage to the new plant was that the buildings were built in the Moscow-Kazan Railway yard so there was a direct connection from plant to shipment.
Unfortunately, some railroads still did not buy air brakes because they were too expensive. The labor of the brakemen going and turning the brake wheel was cheaper than the price of the air brake parts. Today, people know that it was important to human safety.
“Do you use Westinghouse and can you make any improvement upon his apparatus without his permission and cooperation?” – Steven W. Usselman.
Since some people did not want to buy the expensive air brakes, Westinghouse did not lease his air brakes like he did with some of his earlier inventions because railroads would try to copy the design and sell it for their own. To avoid this, he did not let railroads test the air brakes.
“Westinghouse stopped by and warned that if we try the vacuum [brake], even experimentally, he will bring suit.” – Ibid.
Unfortunately, some railroads still did not buy air brakes because they were too expensive. The labor of the brakemen going and turning the brake wheel was cheaper than the price of the air brake parts. Today, people know that it was important to human safety.
“Do you use Westinghouse and can you make any improvement upon his apparatus without his permission and cooperation?” – Steven W. Usselman.
Since some people did not want to buy the expensive air brakes, Westinghouse did not lease his air brakes like he did with some of his earlier inventions because railroads would try to copy the design and sell it for their own. To avoid this, he did not let railroads test the air brakes.
“Westinghouse stopped by and warned that if we try the vacuum [brake], even experimentally, he will bring suit.” – Ibid.