George Westinghouse (1846-1914), inventor and entrepreneur during the Gilded Age, was a pivotal industrialist due to his work in railroad safety and role in the adoption of the alternating current (AC). He founded the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company to manufacture his inventions at the 61 factories he opened over the course of his life. Additionally, through clever business moves and his own ingenuity, Westinghouse owned 361 patents, both of his own inventions and the inventions of others that he felt would benefit his work.

Westinghouse was born on October 6, 1846 in Central Bridge, New York to Emeline and George Westinghouse, Sr. His father designed and manufactured agricultural tools, creating an environment that taught Westinghouse the importance of technological innovation and spurring his lifelong passion for engineering and mechanics. At 17, Westinghouse joined the Union army and served for several years before attending Union College in Schenectady. There is debate as to if he dropped out because he was dissatisfied by the curriculum or if the school forced him out because he was seen as a nuisance to his teachers.¹ Regardless, he quickly returned to his passion for inventing.

Westinghouse's first notable invention was a new type of railroad frog, which allowed for trains to quickly and easily switch between tracks. In 1869, at the age of 22, Westinghouse developed an air brake—the air brake would prove revolutionary to railroad safety. Before this invention, stopping a train was a lengthy process and involved the train's engineer using a whistle to call the brakeman, who would then complete multiple steps to push each train car's brake against the rail; the brakeman had to repeat these steps on each car to fully stop the train. Westinghouse's invention used compressed air to stop each car's brake simultaneously.² Both Westinghouse's frog and air brake improved railroad safety and provided him with enough funds to move into other ventures, including electricity.

Today, Westinghouse is most well-known for his work with electricity during the "War of the Currents," a battle between his alternating current (AC) and Thomas Edison's (1847-1931) direct current (DC). AC can be converted from low to high (or high to low) voltage, which allows for it to travel over long distances at a high voltage but enter homes and businesses at a lower and safer voltage. Furthermore, AC required less thick copper wires than DC. At the beginning of the "War of the Currents," copper prices were extremely high, making AC more cost effective than DC. AC also had several benefits over DC, the most crucial being that it could power machines as well as lights.³

Westinghouse partnered with Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) to solve the problem of powering machines with AC. Tesla previously invented a motor that he believed could work with AC. Westinghouse bought Tesla's patent from the Tesla Electric Company.⁴ Westinghouse used Tesla's motor to win a contract for the Westinghouse Electric Company to build generators at the Niagara Falls power plant, which used the hydroelectric power of Niagara Falls to create AC electricity for both nearby towns and the city of Buffalo, New York.⁵ Even after Edison attempted to destroy the reputation of Westinghouse and AC by calling it dangerous, using its currents to kill both animals and people, and even committing corporate espionage, the benefits of AC and Westinghouse's progressive business practices caused Westinghouse to win the "War of the Currents."⁶

Influenced by businesses in Europe and the values displayed in his father's shop, Westinghouse made changes to his labor practices that would make him one of the most progressive industrialists. He introduced a five-and-a-half-day work week, providing workers half of Saturday and all of Sunday off. He hosted Thanksgiving dinner and summertime picnics for his employees and their families with his wife, Marguerite. He also founded the company town of Wilmerding, which was located next to his Pennsylvania factories. In Wilmerding, he built a YMCA to provide his employees with more recreation opportunities.⁷ Furthermore, Westinghouse paid his employees by the number of units they produced, which totaled an amount nearly double what workers previously made by the hour. Westinghouse's progressive approach to labor increased his workers' productivity and made employment at the Westinghouse factories highly sought after.⁸

Westinghouse lost his businesses in the financial panic of 1907 but remained president of the Westinghouse Electric Co. until 1910. In 1911, Westinghouse received the Edison Award (created by associates of Thomas Edison) for his work on the alternating current.⁹ He continued inventing until his death in 1914 at the age of 67 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The Westinghouse Electric Co. remained a success after Westinghouse's death. Not only did it begin manufacturing household appliances, such as washing machines and refrigerators, but it also launched the first commercial radio station and powered hydroelectric and nuclear energy projects.¹⁰ George Westinghouse's ingenuity has had a lasting impact on modern society, as his company has powered homes and businesses, and his understanding of AC underpins modern electric grids.