John Tittle

Quick Facts

Place of Birth:

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania

Date of Birth:

February 15, 1801

Place of Death:

Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

Date of Death:

August 19, 1882

Place of Burial:

Southmont, Cambria County, Pennsylvania

Cemetery Name:

Grandview Cemetery

John Tittle worked in the shops on the Allegheny Portage Railroad and invented the safety car.

He was an apprentice as a cabinet and furniture maker before opening his own business in New Alexandria, Pennsylvania. He operated a boarding house from 1837-1843 along the Allegheny Valley Railroad. When he moved to Johnstown, he worked as a pattern maker in the Portage Railroad shops. He was a skilled mechanic and invented the safety car. This device was operated like a brake and was connected the last car traveling up the inclined planes of the Portage Railroad. If the ropes broke, the cars would ride up onto the safety car and it would stop them from barreling down the inclined plane. This helped cut down on accidents from the ropes breaking.

John married Mary Snodgrass on December 16, 1824. His oldest son James, also worked on the Main Line Canal as a driver.