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Locomotive Air Brake
Westinghouse Air Brake Company was founded and began manufacturing a continuous braking system for railroads, so that all the car's brakes were applied at the same time. Because the trains could brake rapidly and smoothly, they could safely travel at higher speeds carrying increased freight and passenger loads. -
Standard Oil
John D. Rockefellar established the Standard Oil Company and began buying up his competition to create a monopoly. He invested in the newest and most efficient refining technology, which provided cheap oil for use in factories, engines, and machines to industrialize the world. -
Carnegie Steel
Andrew Carnegie opened Carnegie Steel and began using the bessemer process to cheaply produce higher quality steel in mass amounts. Over the next 15 years, annual steel production increased from 332,000 tons to over 2.6 million tons. Steel became important for the construction of railroads, bridges, skyscrapers, factories, and more. -
Telephone
Alexander Graham Bell successfully invented the telephone, which revolutionized business and personal communication across the United States. -
Light Bulb
Lewis Latimer patents the carbon filament for light bulbs, allowing them to last much longer. As a result businesses were able to operate more efficiently indoors and into the night. -
Electric Elevator
By the late 1800s the first electric elevators had been installed, making tall buildings practical. -
Alternating Current Generator
George Westinghouse, working with inventor Nikola Tesla, developed an alternating current (AC) system to distribute electricity using transformers and generators. These generators were capable of providing electricity to entire cities across the United States. -
Gas Powered Engine
The Duryea brothers road tested the first ever, working American gasoline-powered automobile. This paved the way for Henry Ford to mass-produce automobiles using the assembly line in 1913, and the eventual elimination of the horse and buggy. -
Automatic Loom
The introduction of the Northrop automatic loom allowed cloth to be made at a much faster rate. Bobbins, which were previously changed by hand, were now changed automatically, and standard sizes were also introduced to the clothing industry as garments were now mass produced.
