All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

122 All About Inventions An invitation was then given to the Pennsylvania and what was known as the Panhandle railways to inspect and to test a new brake system for railway trains, which had been perfected and which was operating upon quite a novel principle. The offers were accepted and the officials, representing the systems, were so impressed that the superintendent of the Panhandle Railway requested young Westing- house to remove the apparatus from his shop and to instal it upon one of their regular trains, which comprised a locomotive and four coaches. Needless to say, such an opportunity to prove the value of the brake under actual service conditions was not missed, but the subsequent trials proved far more impressive and complete than even the sanguine inventor had anticipated. Upon the very first run, what might otherwise have proved a disaster was avoided through the brake. The train was emerging from the tunnel in Pittsburg, when the driver caught sight of a horse and wagon standing upon the track at the crossing. The driver instantly jammed on the new brake, and the train pulled up dead some yards away from the obstacle. As may be supposed, the driver, as well as the other officials and the inventor, who were aboard the train, were decisively affected by the narrow escape and the striking efficiency of the new brake. From that moment there was never the slightest doubt but that the brake would come into universal application upon the railways. It had emphatically demonstrated the part it could play in securing greater safety in railway travel. This incident happened to occur at the very moment when there was a public and official demand