GE Transportation

GE Transportation is a division of Wabtec. It was known as GE Rail and owned by General Electric until sold to Wabtec on February 25, 2019. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generation industries. The company was founded in 1907. It is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, while its main manufacturing facility is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Locomotives are assembled at the Erie plant, while engine manufacturing takes place in Grove City, Pennsylvania.[2] In May 2011, the company announced plans to build a second locomotive factory in Fort Worth, Texas, which opened in January 2013.

The GE ES44C4, a diesel-electric freight locomotive of the GE Evolution Series.
GE Transportation
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryTransportation
Energy
Mining
Founded1907 (1907)
Headquarters
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Rafael Santana
(President and CEO)[1]
ProductsEvolution Series Locomotive
Dash Series Locomotive
L250 Marine Engine
360 AC Drive Systems
752 DC Drilling Motor
Wind Turbine Drive Systems
V228 Series engine
Durathon UPS
RevenueUS $8.2 Billion (2019)
Number of employees
27,000+
ParentWabtec
DivisionsRail
Marine
Mining
Drilling
Wind
Stationary Power
Energy Storage
Websitewww.wabteccorp.com
GE Transportation rolling stock covered hopper car 'NAHX 44703' and GE Transportation car 'NCHX 38781' in the Duryea Yard, Pennsylvania, in July 2013. (View looking toward Sayre and Waverly, NY.)

Rail products

GE Transportation is the largest producer of diesel-electric locomotives for both freight and passenger applications in North America, believed to hold up to a 70% market share of that market.[3] The only other significant competitor is Caterpillar-owned Electro-Motive Diesel, holding an approximate 30% market share.[4]

GE Transportation also produces related products, such as railroad signaling equipment, and parts for locomotives and railroad cars, as well as providing repair services for GE and other locomotives. Current locomotives in major production include the GE Evolution Series; for a complete listing, see the list of GE locomotives.

History

GE produced its first locomotive in 1912, and continued to produce switcher locomotives through the 1920s and 30s, while also producing electrical equipment for diesel engines from other manufacturers. Heavy involvement in main-line rail transportation began with a partnership with ALCo in 1940. ALCo had been the second-largest producer of steam locomotives, and was moving into diesel traction, but needed help to compete with the newly-emergent GM Electro-Motive Division. In the partnership, ALCo built the locomotive bodies and prime movers, while GE supplied the electrical gear as well as marketing and servicing infrastructure.

At first, the partnership was reasonably successful, producing the popular RS-1 road switcher, but by 1950 Alco-GE was struggling to keep up with EMD. In 1953, GE dissolved their partnership with ALCo and took over the gas turbine-electric venture that had started series production the previous year. In 1956 GE launched the Universal Series, which succeeded in establishing them as the main competitor to EMD. The subsequent Dash 7 Series failed to build market share, however the Dash 8 Series did better and by the end of the 1990s the Dash 9 Series established a market lead which the Evolution Series extended.

In the spring of 2007, GE Transportation Systems rolled out a prototype hybrid diesel-electric locomotive to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. In September 2010, GE Transportation announced plans to commercialise a hybrid design by 2014–15.[5]

On July 27, 2017, GE Transportation announced that all production of locomotives would move from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Fort Worth, Texas, by the end of 2018.[6] However, following the merger with Wabtec, the Erie plant remained open as operations from the former MotivePower plant in Boise, Idaho, were consolidated at Erie. [7][8]

Mergers and acquisitions

On November 12, 2017, GE announced they would sell or spinoff the Transportation Division.[9]

In addition to the railroad industry, GE Transportation, a Wabtec company, also serves the following industries: Marine, Mining, Stationary Power, Drilling, and Drivetrain Technologies (wind gear boxes).

On May 21, 2018, GE and Wabtec announced that GE Transportation, valued at $11.1 billion, would be divested from GE and subsequently merged with Wabtec in a Reverse Morris Trust transaction by early 2019.[10] Upon completion on February 25, 2019, the merged company was 50.8% owned by Wabtec shareholders, with GE shareholders owning 24.3% and GE itself owning 24.9%; GE also received $2.9 billion in cash.[10][11]

Propulsion products

In addition to railroad locomotives and equipment, GE Transportation Systems also produces large electric motors and propulsion systems for the mining, oil drilling, and wind turbine industries. GE also provides medium-sized, medium-speed diesel engines for several smaller vessels, mostly tugboats and other similarly-sized vessels. These marine engines are marinized versions of their locomotive engines.

Battery products

GE’s battery business serves the rail, marine, telecommunications and energy sectors, including new smart grid technology.[12][13]
GE's Durathon battery production takes place at their facility in Schenectady, New York.

A battery locomotive is in development as of 2020.

On November 13th, 2020, GE sent out its first battery electric locomotive numbered 3000 to the BNSF Railway for testing on its mainline in California between Stockton and Barstow, California. It underwent various tests throughout 2021 to see the feasibility of a fully battery powered locomotive on the California main lines[14]

See also

References
  1. John Dineen Named President and CEO of GE Healthcare; Lorenzo Simonelli to Lead GE Transportation : Press Releases : News : GE Archived 2013-01-24 at archive.today
  2. "'High probability' for layoffs in Grove City, GE official says". Sharon Herald. 31 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2011.
  3. Middleton, William; Smerk, George; Diehl, Roberta, eds. (2007). Encyclopedia of North American Railroads. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-34916-3.
  4. Tita, Bob (2010-06-04). "Caterpillar expected to make Electro-Motive more competitive". ble-t.org. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27. Hamilton said Electro-Motive has about 30% of the North American market...
  5. "GE hybrid locomotive ready for the market in 2014–15". International Railway Journal. 2010-09-23. Archived from the original on 2010-09-26. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
  6. "GE Transportation, a Wabtec company to end locomotive production in Erie". Railway Gazette International. July 27, 2017.
  7. Wabtec to close MotivePower plant Railway Gazette International September 21, 2019
  8. "Wabtec to Close Locomotive Manufacturing Company in Boise, Consolidate Operations into Erie Site". www.erienewsnow.com. Retrieved 2020-02-25.
  9. Robert Channick (November 13, 2017). "GE looks to sell or spin off Chicago-based transportation division". Chicago Tribune.
  10. "GE to merge transportation unit with Wabtec in $11.1 billion deal". Reuters. May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  11. Wabtec and GE Transportation complete merger Railway Gazette International February 25, 2019
  12. Allen, Pam (2009-07-27). "GE plans $100M battery plant for Schenectady".
  14. "BNSF and Wabtec prepare to test battery-electric locomotive". Railway Gazette International, July 8, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
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