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| EOT
Management Services: Case Study Putting an End to the Issue |
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2003 Wabtec Corporation Annual Report What’s the first thing a train needs but the last thing you see? The answer to this railroad riddle is the end-of-train device, or EOT, which among other things, monitors air brake pressure throughout the train. Without an EOT, the train can’t leave the yard. To keep trains moving and the bottom line healthy, railroads must keep EOTs in good repair and ready to go at a moment’s notice, a complex task involving both service and scheduling. To improve this process, Wabtec developed a program to service EOTs throughout the entire Norfolk Southern network. We expected to service about 150 EOTs a week, but it turned out to be almost double that initially, so it involved working many weekends for our teams,” said Gary Grace, Wabtec Global Services manager of electronic product services. “Now we turn the units around in about three days, and are keeping the trains rolling. At Norfolk Southern, the EOT issue has ceased to be an issue. It’s the first thing these Wabtec teams think about and the last thing on Norfolk Southern’s mind. “Since the EOT service program started, telemetry-related train delays have been significantly reduced, and Wabtec’s service has met our expectations.” |