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FORT WORTH, Texas — Wabtec has celebrated the 10th anniversary of its manufacturing operations in Fort Worth, having opened a 1-million-square-foot locomotive plant and 250,000-square-foot mining-equipment facility in October 2012.

Canadian National AC44C6M No. 3300, the first in an order of 50 of the remanufactured diesels and the guest of honor in ceremonies at Wabtec’s Fort Worth, Texas, plant on Oct. 13, 2022.

In this episode of The Cool Parts Show, laser powder bed fusion simplifies the manufacturing of air brake panels for light rail systems made by Wabtec.

In August, Ajith Kumar surpassed legendary American inventor George Westinghouse in the number of patents held. 362 vs Westinghouse’s 361. Westinghouse, who died in 1914, invented the air brake system that made railroads safer and transformed the US rail industry. His Westinghouse Air Brake Company is the origin of today’s locomotive giant Wabtec, where Kumar is now vice president of technology-innovation. Earlier this month, the company celebrated Kumar’s achievement at its Pittsburgh headquarters

Wabtec has presented a range of new technology at the InnoTrans trade fair intended to enable rail operators to reduce fuel bills while offering shippers more efficient and predictable service. In a series of exclusive interviews with Trains News Wire, Wabtec executives outlined the likely transition from diesel to alternative fuel types for North American and global rail operators over the next two decades.

Wabtec and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ, Kazakhstan National Railway) have signed a $600 million memorandum of understanding (MOU) for 150 FLXdrive™ battery-electric switchers and modernization work to transform the KTZ main line diesel-electric fleet into NextFuel™ liquified natural gas-powered (LNG) locomotives.

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.

Ajith (“AJ”) Kumar recently received his 362nd U.S. patent. A Consulting Engineer, he works for Wabtec, whose origins began in Western Pennsylvania with founder George Westinghouse Jr.’s invention of the automatic air brake in 1869. Kumar has now surpassed Westinghouse’s patent record, 361, and Wabtec on Sept. 1 honored him during its all-hands meeting.

MarineLink writes about Wabtec's Tier 4 compliant engine with no need for urea. Is it the cheapest propulsion solution on the market? No. But the Pennsylvania-based engine builder mounts a compelling case for its 250MDC diesel engine based on performance, fuel efficiency and lifecycle costs.

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 has received a contract, valued at over $1bn, from US-based Union Pacific for the modernization of its locomotives. Under the contract, the company will upgrade Union Pacific’s 600 locomotives through the addition of digital solutions and innovations.

Union Pacific will spend more than $1 billion to upgrade 600 of its old diesel locomotives over the next three years and make them more efficient, but regulators still want it to do more to cut pollution from its engines.

Wabtec will supply heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units for the 56 new Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) trainsets on order from Stadler.

Four Union Pacific (UP) locomotives in California are now running on 100% biomass-based fuel, the Class I railroad reported July 14. This field test—part of the railroad’s ESG initiative called “Building a Sustainable Future 2030”—is slated to determine the feasibility of using an 80% renewable diesel and 20% biodiesel blend.

The March For Babies team at Wabtec has partnered with UPMC Hamot to provide essential baby items for families going through a stressful time.