Wabtec is closing the historic Westinghouse plant

Wabtec has announced the closure of the historic Westinghouse plant in Wilmerding, USA, this is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The facility, spanning 53,000 square meters, was sold to the local company Wilmerding Warehouse for $1.3 million at the end of 2023.

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The remaining 94 employees are set to be laid off by July 1, bringing the factory to a complete halt. The decision to close was made following an agreement with the union back in 2022.

Wabtec representative Tim Bader noted that the plant had been operating at less than a third of its capacity in recent years.

The outdated layout and deteriorating condition of the building did not align with modern production requirements, rendering the facility economically unviable.

Interestingly, Wabtec’s history is closely tied to this plant, where the company began its operations in 1889.

Founded by railroad air brake inventor George Westinghouse, Wabtec (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies) significantly expanded brake production.

In recent years, the plant had been manufacturing components for locomotives.

Photo: Dan Cupper

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