In the 1880s, at the same time as he was developing his first punched card system, he invented a new brake system for trains. However his electrically actuated brake system lost out to the Westinghouse steam-actuated brake.
Sa 1880s, sa parehong oras na siya ay pag-unlad ng kanyang unang punched card system, siya likha ng isang bagong sistema ng preno para sa tren. Subalit ang kanyang electrically actuated preno sistema nawala out sa Westinghouse ng singaw-actuated preno.