PITTSBURGH, — Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) will provide brakes and couplers for 640 MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) train cars via its client Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc.
The multi-million-dollar order for service-proven equipment provides seamless interoperability with other subway fleets in the New York City Transit System (NYCTS). The commonality of brake control components across the fleets benefits the transit authority with maintainability and inventory advantages.
“We are delighted that Kawasaki has once again chosen to draw on our strong and longstanding relationship for this exciting project,” said Wabtec Transit President Pascal Schweitzer. “We are proud to help boost reliability and improve subway service on the New York City Transit System, one of the largest and busiest in the world.”
Kawasaki chose Wabtec’s braking systems and couplers for this high-profile collaboration because of the safety and reliability of the company’s progressive and service-proven technology.
The order follows one of Wabtec’s largest North American transit projects in 2018, which provided equipment for 535 cars. This latest order has an option for 640 cars. A second option exists for up to 437 cars.
Kawasaki will manufacture its R211 subway cars at its facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska and Yonkers, New York. The new cars for Option 1 are scheduled to deliver in 2025 through 2026.
Wabtec has a track record of working with NYCT and a longstanding commitment to Kawasaki. To further support its North American market, Wabtec’s equipment will mostly be produced in the United States, in Duncan, South Carolina. This proximity reinforces an already close client-supplier relationship, allowing for greater responsiveness and a more supportive partnership.
The NYCTS is operated by NYCT, a public agency that runs public transportation in New York City and is part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of the State of New York. The New York City subway has provided non-stop service for over a century and is the largest subway in North America. With over 400 stations, it is also the subway with the most stops in the world. The entire New York City subway encompasses nearly 6,500 cars.
