Westinghouse worked on many improvements for railroad signals, which at the time were simply oil lamps, and in 1881 he founded the Union Switch and Signal Company. This company would produce the first automatic electric block signal. This was significant to the railroad industry because it helped to prevent train crashes, increase passenger safety, and allow the trains to be directed and moved more efficiently.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Westinghouse, http://www.georgewestinghouse.com/timeline.html

Brad Ham, Stephen Hogdahl