Dr. Brian T. Scales

Brian T. Scales, Ph.D., P.E.

Dr. Scales, born September 6, 1931, in London, England, United Kingdom, most recently of Hopewell Township, Beaver County. After a brief battle with cancer, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, February 21, 2025 at Rochester Manor and Villa.

He is proceeded in death by his parents: Rev. Walter Thomas Scales and Elise Beatrice (Williams) Scales, his son, Martin N. Scales, and granddaughter, Amanda Lynn Wharton. He is survived by his sister, Alison (Joe) Bleasdale (England), her three children and their five children, his children: Alison Scales (Hopewell Twp., Beaver), Mary Johnson (Hopewell Twp, Beaver), Katharine (Kenneth) Wharton (Baden, Beaver), Walter Trevor Scales (Rochester, Beaver), John Scales (California), and Jean Scales Betsch, eight grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.

Dr. Scales was a Professional Engineer (P.E.) who was passion about his work as a Transportation Engineer involved in technical, economic and performance evaluation of high-speed rail, locomotive and railcar systems and components. He also worked on the writing of specifications for the procurement of rail systems and components and testing automated people-movers.

Brian received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Kings College, University of London and a PhD from University of Surrey in Guildford, England and has lectured in Railway Mechanical Engineering at Cranfield University in the UK and at Trinity College in Ireland. He was a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a licensed professional engineer in Virginia, holds several patents, and has authored numerous technical papers. Brian was a long-time member and frequent speaker at meetings of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) group.

After stops in California, UK, Canda and Bethlehem, PA. he and his family moved to Pittsburgh in the late 1960’s, working for Pittsburgh Forgings then Westinghouse Electric before settling in Virginia once his children were grown. Moved back to Pittsburgh after he retired to be closer to family. He worked on numerous projects that took him to Hawaii and Malasa among other places.

He was an active member of the Allegheny HYP Club, Association of University Professionals (AUP) and the Pittsburgh Vegan Society. He enjoyed fiddling with his model trains and prior to the pandemic ballroom dancing.  He had an appreciation for big band music and enjoyed dancing to a live band.

There will be a memorial service on Saturday, March 15th at 10am at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1066 Washington Road (Mt. Lebanon), Pittsburgh, PA 15228.  Please join us if you are able.  

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Pittsburgh Trolley Museum (https://pa-trolley.org). He spent many days there riding the trolleys and remembering the early years when he worked at London Transportation.

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