Central Trust Company v. Grant Locomotive Works was a case heard by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1910. The case involved a dispute between Central Trust Company and Grant Locomotive Works over a contract for the sale of locomotives. Central Trust Company had agreed to purchase locomotives from Grant Locomotive Works, but the contract was never completed. Central Trust Company then sued Grant Locomotive Works for breach of contract. The Supreme Court held that Central Trust Company was entitled to recover damages from Grant Locomotive Works for breach of contract. The Court found that Grant Locomotive Works had failed to fulfill its obligations under the contract and that Central Trust Company had suffered damages as a result. The Court also held that Central Trust Company was entitled to recover the costs of the litigation from Grant Locomotive Works. The decision in Central Trust Company v. Grant Locomotive Works established that a party who has suffered damages as a result of a breach of contract is entitled to recover those damages from the breaching party. The decision also established that a party who has successfully litigated a breach of contract claim is entitled to recover the costs of the litigation from the breaching party.

In the dissenting opinion of Central Trust Company v. Grant Locomotive Works, Justice Lurton argued that the majority's decision was too broad and should not be applied to all cases involving a breach of contract. He believed that in this particular case, there were special circumstances which warranted an exception to the general rule established by the majority. Specifically, he noted that it would have been impossible for Central Trust Company to have known about any potential breach prior to entering into their agreement with Grant Locomotive Works since they had no knowledge of any such breaches at the time they entered into their contract. Therefore, he concluded that it would be unfair for them to suffer damages due solely on account of something outside their control and beyond their knowledge or understanding at the time they entered into said agreement.