Eliza Murfey was an 1800s American inventor who focused on the mechanics of railroads. She created a device, called packing, that was used to lubricate a train’s axles with oil. This helped to reduce derailments caused by seized axles, an important safety innovation. Murfey held 16 patents for her 1870 invention. She is one of the early women railroad pioneers featured in the 2021 book by Chris Enss titled, “Iron Women: The Ladies Who Helped Build the Railroad.”
Celebrating Women’s History Month: Eliza Murfey invented early train axle lubrication technology
