If it wasn't for WOODS being let go from his first job in Missouri because of his RACE he might never have ended up in Cincinnati, where he opened his own machine shop. Each day he would glance outside as he worked, watching the people step back and forth accross the train tracks to reach shops about town. Stories began to circulate telling of those that were injured and in a few cases even died just trying to get accross the tracks. Granville understood why; the electrical lines that ran along side the tracks on the ground were coming into contact with the pedestrians walking over them. He began to tinker in his shop with different ideas on how to keep anyone from getting hurt. This led to him inventing in 1880, the first railway powered with the electric lines placed above the train. The invention dramatically improved railroad safety.
Over his life, he claimed more than sixty patents of wondrous inventions. I wonder if Missouri ever realized what they lost!!!
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