In 1868, George Westinghouse invented and patented air brakes, which allowed one engineer to stop all the cars of a train with compressed air. Previously, a different brakeman had to stop each car, leading to frequent train accidents, according to Ideafinder.com.
In "Light and Heavy Vehicle Technology," Malcolm James Nunney writes that vital factors in the widespread adoption of air brakes included enhanced stopping power, smaller component size and cost reduction. The air brakes system spread through America and later through Europe.
Air costs nothing and the compressor that powers the brakes can also operate other equipment on a vehicle, such as automatic doors, horns, air springs and windshield wipers.
