No, the transistor replaced the vacuum tube, which everyone was already using. When the transistor was invented everyone rushed to use it because it was clear what it was good for.
I think the MASER/LASER would have been a far better example.
Applications for the transistor were known before the device even existed.
The problems were first to make them reliably, then to make them in quantity and finally to make them cheap enough. All those were overcome and the revolution that followed has not stopped even today.
I kinda think we're in the difference engine phase of quantum computing. Same problems as Babbage building a neat thing, but we're missing some details and our tools aren't really sharp enough to make a good one.