The 300 half-height platform screen doors order for Panama Metro marks Wabtec's first project in Central America.

Wabtec Lands Platform Screen Door Order for Panama Metro

Wabtec Corp. announced on Sept. 15 that it has won an order to supply 300 half-height platform screen doors across Panama Metro’s (Metro de Panama) L3 monorail stations being built by Hitachi Rail, as part of the Grupo de Empresas Sunrise Monorail.

CSX, which implemented Trip Optimizer years ago, said it will be the first railroad to test Zero-to-Zero, a new feature that “allows a train to start from zero miles per hour and stop automatically using intelligent controls. It leverages air-brake control and signal-aspect information, and further expands the opportunity to save fuel and improve operations.” (Image Courtesy of CSX, via CSX Video Announcement)

Watch: CSX Testing New Wabtec Trip Optimizer Feature

CSX is working with the Federal Railroad Administration to test and implement Wabtec’s new Trip Optimizer Zero-to-Zero technology, the Class I railroad reported Sept. 7.

AJ Kumar (seated) joined GE Transportation—now Wabtec—in 1977, and recently earned his 362nd patent. (Photograph Courtesy of Wabtec)

Wabtec’s Kumar: ‘Innovating With Purpose’

Ajith (“AJ”) Kumar recently received his 362nd U.S. patent. He is Vice President Technology-Innovation for Wabtec, whose origins began in Western Pennsylvania with founder George Westinghouse Jr.’s invention of the automatic air brake in 1869. For surpassing Westinghouse’s patent record, 361, Kumar was honored during Wabtec’s Sept. 1 all-hands meeting.

Solvay recently embarked on a $92 million project to invest in purpose-built railcar fleet over the next three years.

Solvay, UP Partner to Reduce Soda Ash Carbon Footprint

Belgium-based chemical company Solvay announced Aug. 26 that, with Union Pacific (UP), it has invested in a purpose-built railcar fleet to reduce the carbon footprint of every railcar of soda ash (or sodium carbonate), “the 10th most consumed inorganic compound in the world and a base ingredient for lass and detergent manufacturers,” shipped from the company’s Green River, Wyo., plant.

Health Monitoring in Real Time

RAILWAY AGE AUGUST 2022 ISSUE: Artificial Intelligence, supported by continuous communications, is rapidly turning “fix it before it fails” into the industry’s mantra.

Wabtec currently has four GPOCs located in the U.S., Brazil and Kazakhstan that monitor more than 18,000 assets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Supply Side: Wabtec, Rail Vision, Thales

Wabtec Corporation (Wabtec) opens first European Transit Performance Optimization Center (TPOC) in Derby, U.K. Also, Rail Vision Ltd. (Rail Vision) receives notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO);

(Photograph Courtesy of Wabtec)

Wabtec: ‘Strong’ 2Q22 Results, Backlog Grows

Wabtec Corp. delivered “strong” second-quarter 2022 financial results, with year-over-year growth in total sales (up 1.8%, carried by the Freight segment) and backlog (up 7.9%), despite “rising costs, continued supply chain challenges and significant unfavorable foreign currency exchange,” the company reported Aug. 5.

Wabtec Corporation employees gathered this week to celebrate 60 years of locomotive production in Brazil. (Photo Collage Courtesy of Wabtec, via Twitter)

Supply Side: Greenbrier, Wabtec

The Greenbrier Companies’ leasing subsidiary has entered into a new term loan to finance the continued growth of its fleet. Also, Wabtec Corporation is celebrating 60 years of locomotive production in Brazil.

Pittsburgh, Pa.-based L.B. Foster has acquired Skratch Enterprises and Intelligent Video (IV), both headquartered in the U.K, to complement its work designing, developing, manufacturing and installing a range of mobile, wireless and digital customer information signage systems for use in railway stations and airports.

Supply Side: L.B. Foster, Shuttlewagon

L.B. Foster Company has acquired digital system integrator Skratch Enterprises Ltd. and security and safety system developer Intelligent Video Ltd. Also, Wabtec’s Shuttlewagon has appointed a new dealer for its mobile railcar movers.

Icomera will install, maintain and monitor onboard mobile Internet service on 88 new Siemens “Venture” single-level passenger cars used in Amtrak Midwest service. (Photograph Courtesy of Icomera)

Supply Side: Icomera, Trainyard Tech, Wabtec

Amtrak has selected Icomera to install, maintain and monitor onboard mobile Internet service for 88 new Siemens “Venture” single-level passenger cars. Also, Trainyard Tech, a rail yard process-control systems supplier, will use Asite as its construction management platform; and Wabtec Corporation is expanding its scholarship program in India.

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