George Westinghouse

George Westinghouse, Jr. (English: George Westinghouse, Jr., October 6, 1846 - March 12, 1914) was an industrialist, inventor, engineer and founder of Westinghouse Electric in Pennsylvania, United States. He invented the air braking system for trains and was a pioneer in the electric power industry. He obtained his first patent at the age of 19. Westinghouse saw the potential of alternating current in electric power distribution systems. As early as the 1880s, he devoted all his resources to developing an alternating current system and bringing it to market. His actions caused his enterprise to compete directly with Edison's direct current system. In 1911, Westinghouse received the Edison Medal from the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) for "outstanding contributions and achievements related to the development of alternating current systems."