Wabtec and Progress Rail reach agreement to resolve antitrust lawsuit

Wabtec and Progress Rail Resolve Antitrust Dispute

Wabtec and Progress Rail have reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit in which Progress Rail accused Wabtec of engaging in unfair competition following its 2019 acquisition of GE Transportation.

Progress Rail, a subsidiary of Caterpillar, argued that Wabtec’s $11 billion purchase of GE Transportation resulted in a dominant position within the diesel-electric long-haul freight locomotive and component market.

According to Progress Rail, which produces locomotives formerly under the General Motors brand, Wabtec (NYSE: WAB) misused its market influence by limiting access to essential data for interoperability, imposing additional costs on competitors, and spreading misinformation about Progress Rail’s presence in the industry. These actions, the company claimed, negatively impacted both competition and customers.

In a joint statement, Progress Rail, headquartered in Albertville, Alabama, and Pittsburgh-based Wabtec announced the settlement, clarifying that neither party admitted fault. Both companies affirmed their ongoing roles as suppliers of long-haul freight locomotives and cab components, including Tier IV models, to Class I railroads and other clients.

The original lawsuit was filed by Progress Rail in the U.S. District Court for Delaware in 2023. While the court dismissed the antitrust allegations in 2025, it allowed claims related to breach of contract to continue.