Olive Dennis held several positions at the Baltimore &
Ohio (B&O) Railroad. She began her
work as a draftsman in 1920 and went on to make changes to the design of
passenger cars.
Railroad Passenger
Improvements
Dennis began working at the B&O Railroad as a draftsman
in 1920. At that time she helped design
bridges. Railroad executives saw another
need for her in a different area of the industry.
Rail travel during Dennis' time was hot, dirty, smelly, and
uncomfortable. She was soon promoted to
the position Engineer of Service and focused on improving passenger
service. The railroad wanted to keep the
support of female passengers as rail travel became more common. (She later held other positions and had a
30-year career.)
Dennis' suggestions included:
- New ventilation system (patented as the Dennis ventilator)
allowing passengers to let fresh air in through the windows - trapping dust at
the same time
- Air-conditioned compartments
- Improved lighting by dimming the overhead lights
at night
- More comfortable seats that reclined and had
stain-resistant upholstery
- Redesigned restroom facilities to be more
practical and that were stocked with paper towels, soap, and drinking cups
- Coach car lunch counters
- Sleeper service
- Designed a state-of-the-art, high-speed luxury
train known as the Cincinnatian
Education and Early Career
Dennis was born in 1885 and grew up in Baltimore, MD. After graduating at the top of her high
school class she was awarded a full scholarship to Goucher College.
- 1908 - Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from
Goucher College
- 1909 - Earned a Masters degree in Mathematics
from Columbia University
- 1920 - Earned a Civil Engineering degree from
Cornell University
After earning a mathematics degree, Dennis taught math in
Baltimore. Her teaching career lasted
for about 10 years. She returned to
study civil engineering and became the second woman to graduate from Cornell
University with this degree.
Resources:
B&O
Railroad Museum: Determining the Facts.
Reading 3: Olive W. Dennis, B&O Legend [image]
B&O
Railroad Museum: Olive Dennis
Changing
Our World: True Stories of Women Engineers (by Sybil E. Hatch)
Engineer
Girl!: Olive Dennis
The
Lady Engineer: Olive D. Wetzel Dennis
Wikipedia:
Olive Dennis
| 
Re: Olive Dennis: Rail Travel Improvements (1885-1957)
