Bion J. Arnold
| Bion Joseph Arnold | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
August 14, 1861 Casnovia, Michigan |
| Died | January 29, 1942 (aged 80) |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Rank | lieutenant colonel |
Bion Joseph Arnold (August 14, 1861 – January 29, 1942) is remembered as "father of the third rail",[1] a pioneer in electrical engineering, and an urban mass transportation expert who helped design New York's Interborough Rapid Transit subway system. He also served as a lieutenant colonel during World War I in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps.
Early life
He was born in Casnovia, Michigan on August 14, 1861.[2][3]
Civilian career
After the IRT opened in 1904, the subway proved to be more popular than envisioned. By 1908, a system designed for a maximum of 600,000 passengers per day was being used by 800,000. Arnold was called upon again to solve the problem. His solution was to place automatic speed control devices on the trains themselves, so that more trains could be run during each hour.[4]
Arnold also assisted in the conversion of electrified railways in Chicago, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, and the cable car systems in San Francisco. After graduating from Hillsdale College in Michigan and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1897, Arnold set up his own company in Chicago at a time when railroads were converting their power sources from steam to electricity. Between 1898 and 1912, he assisted the New York Central Railroad and the Hudson River Railroad in conversion of their lines leading into the Grand Central Terminal.[5] Arnold was president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers from 1903 to 1904.[6]
Military career
On December 14, 1917, he transferred to the regular Army as a lieutenant colonel in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps. He was assigned to aircraft equipment production in Washington, DC. He was honorably discharged on Feb. 6, 1919. He was a colonel in the inactive reserve after 1929.[2]
Personal life
He lived in Chicago, Illinois.[2]
Death and legacy
He died on Jan. 29, 1942.[2]
References
- ↑ Current Biography 1942, p. 33
- 1 2 3 4 Who Was Who in American History - the Military. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1975. p. 16. ISBN 0837932017.
- ↑ Martin, Thomas Commerford (September 9, 1911). "Bion Joseph Arnold An Engineer Who Is the Right-hand Man of Public Service Commissions". Scientific American.
- ↑ Clifton Hood, "The Impact of the IRT on New York City", Historical American Engineering Record survey number HAER NY-122, pp.146-147, from www.nycsubway.org/articles/haer-impact-irt, retrieved September 3, 2007
- ↑ "The New York Public Library".
- ↑ "Bion J. Arnold". IEEE Global History Network. IEEE. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- Bibliography
- Who Was Who in American History - the Military. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1975. ISBN 0837932017.