G.E. Equipped PCCs

[Tom Parkinson]

In the early sixties when I worked for the Transportation Division of Westinghouse Electric Corporation in East Pittsburgh it was accepted that larger transit agencies or companies had policies to split propulsion orders. This was to avoid dependence on one of only two propulsion equipment suppliers in the USA. Dependence or preference for one could increase prices and reduce the quality of after-sales service as well as impede competitive product improvement.

NYCTA  mandated a 50/50 split between GE and Westinghouse for subway cars. PRCo did the 75/25 split in deference to the hometown supplier. CTA tended to go the other way in favour of GE -- no idea why.

This process is still used in Japan where rail car orders are routinely split between two or more car builders and propulsion suppliers -- often on very small orders -- purportedly by government decree.

During the war, PCC procurement was strictly controlled by a US Government Agency -- how was the work divided between GE and Westinghouse then?


Tom Parkinson P.Eng
Rapid Transit Project 2000 Ltd.
Vehicle Project Administrator
(604) 733-5430, Fax 733-5437