Erie, PA – Federal funding is making it possible for Wabtec Corp. to create state-of-the-art, hydrogen-powered passenger rail trains in Erie, Pennsylvania.

A $48.4 million federal grant will help fund the research and development of new passenger train engines and systems that accommodate hydrogen fuel. The program will eventually lead to the re-manufacturing of existing trains at Wabtec’s manufacturing facility in Erie.

Hydrogen-powered trains are at the forefront of rail technology and bring significant transit system improvements. The new trains will manage 10 times the distance with each refueling, compared with battery-powered electric trains. Hydrogen-powered trains are also more efficient than diesel trains and convert 20-30% more fuel into usable electricity than diesel. As an added bonus, the new trains can run on existing passenger rail infrastructure, making its implementation efficient and seamless.

But federal funding does more than advance rail technology—it’s a job creator. Thanks to federal funding, Erie has become a hub of cutting-edge manufacturing jobs. Wabtec’s Erie facility, where it manufactures trains, freight cars, and transit vehicles, employs 2,240 people. And when public transit is built in America, the ripple effects are monumental. In the broader Erie community, over 4,000 jobs are attributable to Wabtec, and its total economic impact is close to $1.25 billion annually.

Continued federal funding is critical for companies like Wabtec to both stay at the forefront of transit innovation and build lasting economic opportunity in communities across the country.