On November 19, 1901, Granville Woods was issued a patent for a third rail to operate electrified railways.
Granville Tailer Woods (April 23, 1856 – January 30, 1910) was an African-American inventor who held more than 50 patents. He is also the first American of African ancestry to be a mechanical and electrical engineer after the Civil War. Self-taught, he concentrated most of his work on trains and streetcars. One of his notable inventions was the Multiplex Telegraph, a device that sent messages between train stations and moving trains. His work assured a safer and better public transportation system for the cities of the United States.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville_Woods
Patent Information
Publication number: US687098 A
Patent Title: Electric railway
Publication type: Grant
Publication date: Nov 19, 1901
Filing date: Jun 29, 1900
Priority date: Jun 29, 1900
Inventors: Granville T Woods
Original Assignee: Gen Electric
