Westinghouse Electric Corporation records
Scope and Contents
The Westinghouse Electric Corporation records consist of information and materials related to customers during 1904 and 1952, with the bulk of the materials dating from the 1920s to the early 1940s. This collection is divided into the following series:
Railroads and mining consists of documents, publications, and communication regarding railroad and mining corporations in the United States, Belgian Congo, Brazil, Chile, Japan, and the Netherlands. Examples include Baldwin Locomotive Works, Phelps Dodge Corporation, Paulista Railways Company, and the Imperial Government Railways of Japan.
Drawings and schematics consist of blueprints for electric locomotives, mechanical components, and electrical wiring diagrams.
Handbooks and specification sheets contain instruction manuals, data for locomotive specifications and painting, and technical information on parts and materials.
Production and costs estimates cover expenses for locomotive and rolling stock outfitting, equipment, labor, and shipping.
Photographs feature images of steam and electric locomotives, locomotive assembly, and scenery along electrified lines of railways such as Boston and Maine, Grand Trunk, and Illinois Central. Respective indices for certain photos are also included.
Dates
- 1904 - 1952
Creator
- Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Organization)
Language of Materials
Some materials in this collection are in Spanish and Dutch.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is available for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Some materials within the collection may be protected by copyright. Please contact IAL at info@industrialarchives.org for use of collection beyond Fair Use purposes.
Biographical / Historical
Westinghouse Electric Corporation was formed in 1886 by George Westinghouse, who had already established a reputation for himself years earlier with the founding of the air brake company that bore his name. Originally known as “Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company,” it played a vital role in the development of electric power and in bringing it to the masses in the United States. Westinghouse built a reliable reputation for its research and quality of products, particularly its motors, generators, and turbines produced for its industrial-centric customers. The world's first industrial AC system, Ames Hydroelectric Generating Plant, was constructed by Westinghouse in 1891. Two years later, the corporation was awarded the contract to provide illumination for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.
During the next four decades, Westinghouse built the first commercial steam turbine driven generator (1901), gained footing in the home appliance market (1914), spearheaded the first radiobroadcasts (1920-1923), and created the fastest express elevators in the world (1933). It served as a key military equipment producer during World War II and continued to make progressive leaps forward in the following decades. By the early 1980s, Westinghouse had developed the Solar Total Energy Project and launched a full line of light bulbs, lamps, ceiling fans, and fixtures in 1998. In the 21st century, Westinghouse has brought solar power products to the public and began offering portable generators and power stations. Today, the reputation and name of Westinghouse are synonymous with the term “electric power."
Extent
6.75 Linear Feet (6 records cartons, 2 oversized legal archival boxes)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These materials were received by the Industrial Archives & Library from the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in 2019.
File Plan
File A-1: Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad File A-3: Paulista Railways Co. File A-5: Lists of apparatus, Imperial Government Railways of Japan File A-8: List of apparatus, Norfolk and Western Railways File A-9: Lists of apparatus, Norte Railways of Spain File A-10: Engineering drawings, Great Northern Railways File A-11: Lists of apparatus and general correspondence File A-12: Lists of apparatus and air brake lists File A-13: Sacramento Northern Railway File A-14: Motor and battery specifications File A-15: Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railroad File A-16: Salt Lake and Utah Railway, Niagra Junction Railway File A-26: Phelps Dodge Corporation File A-27: Phelps Dodge Corporation File A-28-1: Data sheets and apparatus list, Central Railways of Brazil File A-28-2: Central Railways of Brazil File A-29: Estrada De Ferro Sorocabana File A-30: New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company File A-32: Phelps Dodge Corporation File A-33: Chilean State Railway File A-34: Estrada De Ferro Sorocabana File A-36: Heemaf-Netherlands Railway File A-37: Belgain Congo locomotive - Union Miniere Du Haut Katanga File A-38: Norfolk and Western Railway Company File A-40: Spanish National Railways - general data File A-41: A.C.E.C. (Belgium - Ateliers de Construcions Electriques de Charleroi File B-1: Photgraphs, locomotive parts File B-2: Paulista Railways Company photographs File B-3: New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad photographs File B-4: Electric railroad locomotive photographs File B-6: Railroad locomotive photographs File B-7: Index and railroad photographs File B-13: Sorocabana locomotive parts photographs File B-14: Locomotive parts photographs File B-15: Electric locomotive photographs (Mexican?) File C-1: Electrical schematics File C-2: Electrical schematics File C-3: Electrical schematics File D-1: Gear ratio schematics File D-2: Gear ratio efficiency schematics File D-3: Resistor specifications File E-1: Cost change sheets File E-2: Locomotive specification sheets File E-3: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-4: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-5: Product and cost estimate sheets File E-6: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-7: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-8: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-9: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-10: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-12: Production and cost estimate sheets File E-13: Product and cost estimate sheets File E-14: Product and cost estimate sheets File F-1: Standard practice File F-2: Calculation of direct current regeneration curves File F-3: Wire and cable correspondence File F-4: Technical information on cables File F-5: Pipe and cable use sheets File F-6: Electric locomotive literature File F-6A: Electric locomotive literature File F-8: Locomotive painting specifications File F-9: Electric locomotive invoices File F-10: Light traction locomotive invoices File F-11: Locomotive parts drawings File F-12: Motor test details File F-14: Electrical data New York, New Haven, and Hartford locomotives File F-15: Type TC controller and Type TM pushbutton data sheets File F-16: Dry lubrication tests on M-3179 switch cylinder File K-1: List of spec sheets File K-2: Production and cost estimates File K-3: Production and cost estimates File K-4: Production and cost estimates File K-5: Production and cost estimates File L-1: Engineer's trip reports File L-2: Transformer specifications File L-3: Engineering data for heavy traction car equipment File M-1: Pennsylvania Railroad MP54 traction motor types File M-2: Lists of apparatus Long Island Railroad File M-3: Multiple unit drawings New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad File M-4: List of apparatus File N-1: Generator information File N-2: Traction and blower motors File P-1: Diagram listing File P-2: Parts cost sheets File R-1: Motor and generator cost sheets File R-2: Switch and relay drawings File S-1: Photographs of gas- and oil-electric cars and locomotives File S-2: Classified index of photographs File S-3: Classified index of photographs File S-4: Oil-and gas-electric locomotive apparatus photographs File S-6: Gas- and oil-electric car and locomotive photographs File S-7: Oil- and gas-electric locomotive apparatus photographs File V-1: Baldwin Locomotive Works - lists of electric parts placed on electric locomotives File V-2: Lists of electric parts placed on electric locomotive File V-3: Lists of electrical equipment for electric locomotives File V-4: Westinghouse locomotive specification sheets File V-4-1: Westinghouse inspection and test reports File V-4-2: Westinghouse locomotive inspection and test reports File V-4-3: Westinghouse locomotive specification sheets File V-5: Diagrams of connections Photographs - oil-electric self-propelled cars and locomotives Photographs - electric locomotives and electrification Photographs - electric locomotives and electrification Photographs - electric locomotives and electrification Photographs - individual apparatus - assembly of apparatus Photographs - St. Clair tunnel electrification Photographs - Grand Trunk System, Great Northern Railway, Reading Company, and miscellaneous Report upon proposed electric railway between New Westminister and Chilliwack, B.C. Photographs - Boston and Maine Railroad, D.T and I. Railway, Illinois Central Railroad, New York Central Railroad, Piedmont and Northern Railway, Visalia Electric Railroad Co. General Electric drawings
Processing Information
All Westinghouse Electric Corp. materials have been rehoused into archival boxes and placed into acid-free folders and photograph sleeves. Additional materials from the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum have been separated. Processing was completed by Melissa Nerino in 2019.
- Electric generators -- Handbooks, manuals, etc. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Electric locomotives Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Electric motors -- Handbooks, manuals, etc. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Railroad equipment industry Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Author
- Melissa Nerino and David Hazel
- Date
- 2023-02-07
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Industrial Archives & Library Repository
18 West 4th Street
Bethlehem Pennsylvania 18015 USA
