USA: Westinghouse Air
Brake Company Awarded Contract to Develop Positive Train Control Prototype
Westinghouse
: Friday December 11, 1998
Westinghouse Air Brake
Company (NYSE: WAB - WABCO) announced today that its Railway Electronics Division
has been awarded a contract by Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC - news)
to develop a prototype of the Positive Train Control (PTC) On-Board Platform
for a joint program between Norfolk Southern, Conrail and CSX (NYSE: CSX -
news). Positive Train Control (PTC) is part of the industry's goals
to enhance anti-collision efforts and to further improve effective capacity
throughout. This prototype will be used to verify the design for an on-board
safety system platform for locomotives. The Railway Electronics Division developed
the original specifications for this type of system under a previous contract
with Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail). WABCO was one of two suppliers
awarded a contract for the development of these prototypes.
WABCO Chairman and CEO
William E. Kassling stated: "This order represents great potential for WABCO
and the railroad industry. It is a significant step in the development of
PTC systems. We are pleased to be a part of this program and view this as
a substantial opportunity for our designs to be included as industry standards.
We believe this new technology and the resulting safety systems will become
critical components of the locomotive equipment. These systems will use
state of the art technology to enhance the safety and reliability of the
railroads. We have been working on these designs for some time and believe
that this is another example of the innovations of the Railway Electronics
Division."
The program includes testing
of the design specifications, interoperability testing with other suppliers
of such a prototype and actual field testing of the design. The program
is scheduled to last for five months, with funding for this activity coming
from Norfolk Southern, Conrail, CSX and the Federal Railroad Association.
Chairman and CEO William
E. Kassling also stated: "While the initial program funding is modest, the
total impact of this program and the products that will be developed could
be considerable. Successful completion of the program would pave the way
for adoption of the PTC platform as an industry standard, used for the implementation
of interchangeable safety systems such as Positive Train Separation (PTS),
Positive Train Control (PTC) and Cab Signals."
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains
various forward-looking statements and includes assumptions about future
market conditions, operations and results. These statements are based on
current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties. They are
made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Among the many factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from the forward-looking statements are: changes in
the competitive environment for the Company's product, changes in market
conditions and other factors included in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, incorporated by reference herein. The
Company assumes no obligation to update these forward- looking statements
or advise of changes in the assumptions on which they were based.
Westinghouse Air Brake
Company is North America's largest manufacturer of value added equipment
for locomotives, railway freight cars and passenger transit vehicles. The
Company's products, which are sold to both the original equipment market
and the aftermarket, are intended to enhance safety, improve productivity
and reduce maintenance costs for its customers. The Company's products include
electronic controls and monitors, air brakes, couplers, air conditioning,
door controls, draft gears and brake shoes.
Source: Westinghouse
Air Brake Company Friday, December 11 1998
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