railroad technology

Wabtec acquires rail equipment manufacturer Nordco

A photograph of Nordco's maintenance of way equipment.

Pittsburgh-headquartered rail technology provider Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) is acquiring Nordco, which supplies new, rebuilt and used maintenance-of-way equipment. Nordco, which had belonged to parent company Greenbriar Equity Group, also offers mobile railcar movers and ultrasonic rail flaw detection technologies.

The acquisition, worth $400 million in cash, has been finalized and received regulatory approvals, and the deal should close in the coming weeks, according to Pascal Schweitzer, vice...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/wabtec-acquires-rail-equipment-manufacturer-nordco

Could battery-electric locomotives become mainstream?

A photograph of a train in a yard. In front of it is a sign that says, Attention. Remote control locomotives operate in this area. Locomotive cabs may be unoccupied.

Can public and private interests work together to develop technological solutions that would enable a more sustainable freight transportation network? Rail technology provider Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) and others hope so.

Pittsburgh-headquartered Wabtec, short line operator Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) and Carnegie Mellon University are asking Congress to consider collaborating with them to form and co-fund a public-private partnership aimed at creating and funding technology research, demonstration and...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/could-battery-electric-locomotives-become-mainstream

Wabtec sees a future producing battery electric locomotives

A photograph of a train locomotive crossing over a bridge.

Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) could develop more battery electric locomotives in the future as prospective buyers eye ways to improve fuel efficiency, executives of the rail technology provider said during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Thursday.

BNSF (NYSE: BRK) is conducting advanced tests on what Wabtec calls “the world’s first battery electric locomotive,” which the Pittsburgh-headquartered rail technology provider has dubbed FLXdrive. The heavy-haul locomotive could potentially reduce...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/wabtec-sees-a-future-producing-battery-electric-locomotives

Stakeholders mixed on new rail inspection technology rule

A photograph of a railcar wheel on a track.

A new rule on rail inspection technology from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is garnering mixed reactions from rail industry stakeholders.

The Final Rule on Rail Integrity Amendments and Track Safety Standards enables the railroads to continue the practice of continuous rail inspection technology without the previous requirement of securing waivers. The rule allows rail testing vehicles to move without stopping along the track, thereby potentially decreasing passenger and freight...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/stakeholders-mixed-on-new-rail-inspection-technology-rule

CN, Wabtec appoint new chief technology officers

A close-up photograph of a rail crossing barrier.

Class I Canadian railway CN (NYSE: CNI) and rail equipment manufacturer Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) each named new chief technology officers on Wednesday.

Dominique Malenfant will join CN Tuesday as an executive vice president and chief information and technology officer. In his role, he will lead the development and deployment of advanced technologies and digitalization to improve inspection reliability, provide rich data analytics, generate automation and drive capacity, and safety, CN said.

“Dominique...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/cn-wabtec-appoint-new-chief-technology-officers

Commentary: Will railroads grow organically or just recover?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

That search for modal share growth is still fundamentally the real strategic challenge for the seven Class 1 North American railroads.

 Profitability remains excellent.

 Net cash flow? Down a bit during the second quarter of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic economic shock hit. We will find out by how much less over the next few weeks as second quarter earnings are...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary:-will-railroads-grow-organically-or-just-recover?

Commentary: Do you want to build a freight railroad?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

The physical basics of a railway route company come down to:

  • The track/right-of-way structure
  •  The rolling stock train set equipment
  • The route you are connecting (origin and destination).
Tank cars sit on two of three tracks visible in this photoTank cars sit on two of three tracks visible in this photo.
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

This is what is required in regard to the engineering fundamentals for the railway’s...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-do-you-want-to-build-a-freight-railroad

Commentary: Does rebuilding locomotives beat buying new?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

Ever check out the list prices of brand-new main line diesel-electric locomotives? They are expensive – about $3 million each.

People get mesmerized by the horsepower quoted. Nah! You want pulling power – and less top-end speed. Speed is what you require horsepower for. But dragging heavy long freight trains is the North American business model. You need to...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary:-is-rebuilding-locomotives-better-than-buying-new?

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