Wabtec’s Trip Optimizer achieves a significant milestone, enabling railroads to efficiently manage over 1 billion auto miles—equivalent to more than 40,000 trips around the Earth. The widespread adoption of the Trip Optimizer system across 12,000 locomotives worldwide has led to substantial decreases in fuel consumption and emissions within the rail industry.
Wabtec’s president of Digital Intelligence, Nalin Jain, lauds the billion-mile achievement, attributing it to both customers and the innovative team. Trip Optimizer has become a pivotal locomotive operating system and an industry standard, allowing railroads to efficiently manage their train performance. The system contributes to the rail industry’s efficiency, reducing fuel consumption, and emissions, and optimizing travel routes.
Trip Optimizer, acting as smart cruise control for trains, factors in terrain, train composition, speed restrictions, and operating conditions to calculate an optimal speed profile. This software automatically adjusts locomotive throttle and dynamic brakes to enhance fuel efficiency and overall train handling. The fleet of locomotives equipped with Trip Optimizer has saved approximately 752 million gallons of diesel, equivalent to generating nearly 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity or powering almost 900,000 homes for a year. The system has also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 7.7 million tons, equivalent to removing emissions from approximately 1.7 million cars for a year.
Nalin Jain emphasizes Trip Optimizer’s significant returns for customers, as the system is EPA-certified to reduce emissions by 10%, enabling railroads to diminish their carbon footprint and lower operating expenses. Wabtec remains committed to advancing sustainable solutions and pioneering innovations for a lasting positive impact on both operational and environmental fronts.
The development of Trip Optimizer is an ongoing process, incorporating continuous improvements based on feedback, operational insights, and technological advances. Wabtec actively seeks customer input to make updates, ensuring the integration of the latest advancements in energy-efficient train operations. Additional solutions like Independent Control of LOCOTROL Distributed Power, Trip Optimizer SmartHPT, and Air Brake Control further enhance Wabtec’s comprehensive suite of offerings for greater energy-management opportunities.
Since its launch in 2009, Trip Optimizer has been adopted by 12,000 locomotives across five continents, with 23 customers, including major railroads in North America and operators in key markets such as Brazil and Australia.
About Wabtec
Wabtec Corporation (NYSE: WAB) is revolutionizing the way the world moves for future generations. The company is a leading global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for the freight and transit rail industries, as well as the mining, marine and industrial markets. Wabtec has been a leader in the rail industry for over 150 years and has a vision to achieve a zero-emission rail system in the U.S. and worldwide. Visit Wabtec’s website at www.wabteccorp.com.