Olive Wetzel Dennis
Personal Information
Born: 1885
Died: 1957
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
Goucher College BA 1908; Columbia University MA Mathematics 19090; Cornell University MA Civil Engineering 1920
Professional Life
Field of Study: Civil Engineering
Institution/Corporation: B&O Railroad
Degrees & Memberships: Member: American Railway engineering Association*British Women's engineering Society (1931)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: None found
Achievements: worked for Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1920s & patented several items to improve passenger comfort including: the Dennis Ventilator dimming overhead lights reclining individual seats & stain-resistant upholstery air conditioning in coach cars dressing rooms a "shroud" that covered the front of the locomotive that made it easier for mechanics to repair the engines
Worked for the B&O Railroad 1920s; invented & patented several items to improve passenger comfort
Held 2 patents in her name; remainder were assigned to the railroad
Among her improvements were: the Dennis Ventilator, dimming overhead lights, reclining individual seats, stain resistant upholstery, air conditioning in coach cars, dressing rooms; designed a "shroud" that covered the front of locomotives & made it easier for mechanics to work on the engines
B&O created the position of "service engineer" just for her
Designed the Cincinnatian, a train containing all her innovations for B&O; Her name doesn't appear in any of the publicity materials for the train even though she was the designer
When she was 10 her father gave her a set of tools & she built a scale model of a streetcar for her younger brother; it was complete with the seats capable of turning over & the steps moved up & down
it is estimated she travelled between one-quarter & one-half million miles on trains, identifying & solving passenger problems along the way