Cohen, Mendes, 1831-1915

Civil and mechanical engineer and railroad executive.

Mendes Cohen was born in Baltimore on May 4, 1831. He received his mechanical training in the works of Ross Winans (1847-1851), the builder of early locomotives. From 1851 to 1855 he worked for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, chiefly in the Motive Power Department. He worked on the adaptation of wood-burning locomotives to coal-burning and devised the method for handling traffic on the 10% temporary grade over the Kingwood Tunnel.

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