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Wabtec News
WABTEC AND RAJANT RECEIVE FIRST MOBILE NETWORK ORDER FROM NEW MEXICO RAIL RUNNER EXPRESS
Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) has signed an agreement with the New Mexico Rail Runner Express (NMRX) to upgrade the wireless network of NMRX’s commuter fleet, in cooperation with Wabtec’s strategic networking technology partner, Rajant Corporation. This order is the first for Wabtec and Rajant since forming their strategic partnership to accelerate wireless technology for the global rail industry.
“The New Mexico Rail Runner Express deal marks an important milestone in our partnership with Rajant,” said Rajendra Jadhav, President of Wabtec’s Signaling, Communication and Wayside business. “Our complementary product portfolios enable us to provide the high-speed wireless service today’s passengers expect. The Kinetic Mesh® industrial wireless networking products are the ideal solution for New Mexico Rail Runner Express to enhance its commuter experience.”
“Rajant’s Senior Vice President, Business Development Peter Lenard said, “Rajant Kinetic Mesh is unlike any other wireless mesh system on the market today. What we have marketed with Wabtec is a fully mobile, multi-radio, broadband solution that is simple to deploy, maintaining continuous connectivity for any application – giving the customer a resilient mesh network solution that moves and evolves with the rail industry’s connectivity demands.”
“We value the partnership between Rajant and Wabtec,” said Robert Schena, Rajant’s CEO and Co-Founder.” Together, we are at the forefront of advancing transportation systems through continuous mobile connectivity in the most challenging mobile environments. The Kinetic Mesh wireless upgrades will provide New Mexico Rail Runner Express and its passengers the guaranteed uptime needed for the growing wireless demands of today and the future.”
The deal follows a 2019 agreement between Wabtec and NMRX for positive train control (PTC) system implementation. Wabtec integrated its Interoperable Electronic Train Management System PTC system on Rail Runner, including all necessary wayside and communication design and dispatch upgrades, with full PTC back office server support and equipment and software upgrades to their full fleet, including nine Wabtec manufactured Rail Runner locomotives and nine cab cars.
NMRX is owned by the State of New Mexico through the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). NMDOT contracts with the Rio Metro Regional Transit District (RMRTD) to oversee the day-to-day operations of the railroad, to include dispatching, track and signal maintenance, maintenance of equipment and the operation of the Rail Runner commuter service. RMRTD is the legal entity responsible for ensuring FRA safety regulatory compliance including PTC implementation. The commuter fleet operates seven days a week between Belen, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, NM. Rail Runner is the 25th busiest commuter rail line by annual ridership in 2019 (743,600).
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