Wabtec Celebrates 150 Years of Redefining the Transportation Industry

PITTSBURGH — October 15, 2019: Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB), a high-tech supplier for the freight and transit rail industries, today celebrated 150 years of innovation and the grand opening of its new headquarters in Pittsburgh. The company’s origins began in Western Pennsylvania with founder George Westinghouse Jr.’s invention of the automatic air brake – a breakthrough that redefined the transportation industry and saved lives.

“The air brake was a transformational technology for the rail industry and helped drive economic growth worldwide by enabling railroads to safely move more people and products on longer trains at higher speeds,” said Rafael Santana, president and chief executive officer of Wabtec.  “Building on this deep heritage of breakthrough ideas and 150 years of company success, Wabtec continues to pave the way for modern safety advancements and set the bar for innovative solutions. Whether it’s positive train control, advanced diesel-electric locomotives, energy management solutions or robust software and analytics, our time has just begun, and we are committed to transforming the future of rail.” 

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recognized the significance of Westinghouse’s air brake to society with a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark designation. The Westinghouse air brake joins an exclusive collection of 273 artifacts from around the world that have been designated historic mechanical engineering landmarks, heritage collections or heritage sites. The ASME History and Heritage Committee selects these artifacts based on their engineering attributes, role in the evolution of the mechanical engineering profession, and significance to society in general.

“Since the invention of the wheel, mechanical innovation has influenced the development of civilization, as well as public welfare, safety and comfort,” said ASME President-nominee Bryan Erler at a plaque presentation to Wabtec commemorating the landmark designation. “Westinghouse and his invention of the air brake helped drive the evolution of mechanical engineering. His company transformed the rail industry and it continues to do so.”

Wabtec is building upon the foundation Westinghouse laid 150 years ago by continuing to bring new innovations to the transportation market, as well as commemorating where its roots started.  The Fortune and S&P 500 company officially opened its new global headquarters in Pittsburgh.

"The story of Wabtec is the story of Pittsburgh – innovative, proud and comfortable on the world stage. I want to congratulate the company on this historic anniversary and its new global headquarters on our North Shore," Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto said.

As part of its 150th-anniversary celebration, Wabtec celebrated its new, state-of-the-art offices in the heart of Pittsburgh’s North Shore community. The office will house roughly 250 employees and play a critical role in accelerating the future of transportation.

About Wabtec

Wabtec Corporation is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for freight and transit rail. Drawing on nearly four centuries of collective experience across Wabtec, GE Transportation and Faiveley Transport, the company has unmatched digital expertise, technological innovation, and world-class manufacturing and services, enabling the digital-rail-and-transit ecosystems. Wabtec is focused on performance that drives progress, creating transportation solutions that move and improve the world. The freight portfolio features a comprehensive line of locomotives, software applications and a broad selection of mission-critical controls systems, including Positive Train Control (PTC). The transit portfolio provides highly-engineered systems and services to virtually every major rail transit system around the world, supplying an integrated series of components for buses and all train-related market segments that deliver safety, efficiency and passenger comfort. Along with its industry-leading portfolio of products and solutions for the rail and transit industries, Wabtec is a leader in mining, marine and industrial solutions. Wabtec has approximately 27,000 employees in facilities throughout the world. Visit the company’s new website at: www.WabtecCorp.com. 

About ASME

ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real-world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world. For more information visit asme.org.