The next year, Westinghouse was riding on a train that was suddenly brought to a stop to avoid a wrecked train on the tracks ahead. The brakes that were in use on trains around the world at this time were operated manually. Westinghouse knew that there must be a safer and quicker way to stop a train. After observing rock drills, that used compressed air to drill tunnels through mountains, Westinghouse wondered if the use of compressed air could be applied to brakes. This led to one of Westinghouse's most famous and most influential inventions ever. Westinghouse did not know it, but he was on his way to changing the course of the nation. However, at age twenty two, his new air brake and he got little attention. "If I understand you, young man, you propose to stop a railroad train with wind. I have no time to listen to such nonsense," said Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, one of the most powerful railroad owners of the time (Compton's,4). .

             Finally, on a small railroad outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Westinghouse was able to try out his new air brake. On the trial run, the train came to a crossing where a farmer's wagon had broken down. Upon seeing this, the locomotive's engineer applied the new braking system. Too everyone's surprise, the train was jolted to a halt; furthermore, the train was stopped yards in front of the farmer's wagon. Even though almost everyone did fall out of their seat, this was the beginning of Westinghouse's influence on the world. Eventually, the Railroad Safety Act of 1893 would "make air brakes compulsory on all U.S. trains"(Britannica, 6). At this point, Westinghouse established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company. By 1869, already, Westinghouse's success was almost guaranteed.

             George Westinghouse's next frontier was railroad signaling. With the ever increasing use and expansion of railroads, signaling became a major problem. He created a signaling system using compressed air and electricity; thus, the Union Switch and Signal Company was founded in 1882.