Norfolk Southern Places First Order for Advanced EOT

Albertville, Ala. UNITED STATES – Building upon its longstanding relationship of delivering quality products and services, Progress Rail, a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., has reached a preliminary agreement to supply its first new order of advanced Guardian End-of-Train (EOT) devices to Norfolk Southern. Progress Rail will deliver the state-of-the-art devices for use on Norfolk Southern’s fleet by the end of this year.

Earlier this year, Progress Rail purchased the intellectual property (IP) of Wise Electronics, a company based in Silver Springs, Maryland, for advanced technologies, including Locomotive Cab Units (LCUs) and EOT devices. The EOT devices transmit real-time vital information from the end of the train to the locomotive cab by way of a locomotive Head-of-Train device (or LCU).

Acquiring IP from Wise Electronics expands Progress Rail’s advanced technology offerings to railroad customers in North America and worldwide. The new technologies will become part of the company’s rolling stock product portfolio. These technologies not only enhance Progress Rail’s innovative product line for the rail industry, they also contribute to improved operational safety, accident investigation, security and vandalism prevention.

“Progress Rail has provided quality products and services to Norfolk Southern for many years, and we’re extremely pleased to see them take the first order of our latest rail technologies to aid in the operational safety of their fleet,” stated Progress Rail’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Analytics Paul Denton. “Compared to other similar technologies, our Guardian EOT features a more modern design with improved reliability, ergonomics, lighter weight and advanced power management. Its end-of-train coupler mount makes the Guardian EOT faster and safer to apply – a characteristic that train operators can appreciate.”

Progress Rail will assemble the new Guardian EOT units at its Arab, Alabama facility.

About Progress Rail:

Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, is one of the largest integrated and diversified providers of rolling stock and infrastructure solutions and technologies for global rail customers. Progress Rail delivers advanced EMD locomotives and engines, railcars, trackwork, fasteners, signaling, rail welding and Kershaw Maintenance-of-Way equipment, along with dedicated locomotive and freight car repair services, aftermarket parts support and recycling operations. The company also offers advanced rail technologies, including data acquisition and asset protection equipment. Progress Rail’s deep industry expertise, together with the support of Caterpillar, ensures a commitment to quality through innovative solutions for the rail industry. Progress Rail has a network of nearly 200 locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Australia, China, India, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit progressrail.com and follow @Progress_Rail on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Progress Rail Contact:

Barbara Jansen
Marketing Director
256-505-5054
bjansen@progressrail.com