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Collection Inside an American Factory: Films of the Westinghouse Works, 1904

Timeline

Timeline

  1. 1846

    George Westinghouse born.

  2. 1865

    George Westinghouse obtains first patent for rotary steam engine.

  3. 1869

    George Westinghouse receives patent for the air brake. Westinghouse Air Brake Company organized with George Westinghouse as president. 9-hour workday and 55-hour workweek instituted.

  4. 1871

    Company institutes Saturday half-holiday.

  5. 1872

    Automatic air brake invented.

  6. 1878

    First foreign air brake company started at Sevran, France.

  7. 1881

    Westinghouse Machine Company formed. The Westinghouse Brake Company, Ltd., in London, England, founded.

  8. 1882

    Union Switch and Signal Company organized.

  9. 1884

    The Westinghouse Brake Company, Ltd., in Hanover, Germany, founded.

  10. 1886

    Westinghouse Electric Company, later known as the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, formed.

  11. 1889

    Ground broken for air brake factory at Wilmerding, PA.

  12. 1890

    Westinghouse began manufacture of electric railway motors.

  13. 1893

    Westinghouse Electric company lights Columbian Exposition in Chicago.

  14. 1895

    Main works for Electric and Manufacturing Company built in East Pittsburgh.

  15. 1896

    Generators built by Westinghouse turn the waters of Niagara Falls into electric power.

  16. 1898

    Westinghouse Company, Ltd., in St Petersburg, Russia organized.

  17. 1899

    The British Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, Ltd., formed in London, England, with another plant in Manchester.

  18. 1901

    Societe Anonyme Westinghouse organized with offices in Paris, and works in Le Havre and Freinville. The Westinghouse Electricitats-Actiengesellschaft organized in Berlin.

  19. 1903

    Canadian Westinghouse Company, Ltd., founded. Relief Department (disability benefits, medical and surgical services) founded.

  20. 1904

    The American Mutoscope & Biograph Co. films motion pictures of the Westinghouse Works. Louisiana Purchase Exposition held in St. Louis--Westinghouse Co. displays several large exhibits, holds screenings of the AM&B films, and supplies power generators and equipment for the exposition's service plant.

  21. 1905

    Electrification of the Manhattan Elevated Railways and the New York subway system.

  22. 1907

    George Westinghouse loses control of his companies.

  23. 1911

    George Westinghouse severs all ties with his companies.

  24. 1914

    George Westinghouse dies.

  25. 1918

    George Westinghouse receives his last patent, 4 years after his death.

(Portions of this time-line appeared in 75th Anniversary of the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, 1944. Additional entries have been included for the purposes of this project.)