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New Orleans Public Belt Railroad selects GE Transportation's Optimization Solutions for Railroad Transportation Management and Railcar Repair and Maintenance
[February 21, 2013]

New Orleans Public Belt Railroad selects GE Transportation's Optimization Solutions for Railroad Transportation Management and Railcar Repair and Maintenance


ATLANTA --(Business Wire)--

GE Transportation's Optimization Solutions, a leading provider of transportation management software and analytics to the railroad industry, announced today that New Orleans Public Belt Railroad (NOPB) has signed an agreement to deploy GE's software applications for railroad transportation management and railcar repair and maintenance.

Under the agreement, GE's RailConnect® Transportation Management System (TMS) will support NOPB's daily, mission-critical rail operations, increase automation, and drive productivity. In addition the RailConnect Car Hire System will manage accounting payables to automate car hire processing which provides prompt and accurate reclaims and transfers. The Car Hire Accounting System complies with AAR requirements and state tax regulations.

NOPB will also deploy ExpressYard® software to manage railcar repair and maintenance. ExpressYard will allow NOPB personnel to capture freight car inspection information when and where the work occurs, enabling railcar repair data to be processed more efficiently.



In addition, NOPB will use Business Intelligence (BI) to improve operating decisions that optimize business outcomes. BI will help NOPB analyze and report operating metrics that enable better service and support to customers.

According to John Morrow, NOPB Interim General Manager, "Migration to GE's system represents a move to the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and integrated rail yard and railcar repair shop management system available. GE's solution is used by over 400 short line railroads across the United States, and the NOPB Railroad is pleased to be able to offer its capabilities to its customers."


Peter Thomas, GE Transportation's Optimization Solutions General Manager, said "We are extremely pleased to have New Orleans Public Belt Railroad as a customer. Our products deliver a comprehensive suite of rail transportation solutions to meet NOPB's unique and complex operating needs."

The New Orleans Public Belt Railroad is a terminal switching railroad, owned by the City of New Orleans. NOPB, which operates over 123 miles of track, including 37.5 miles of main line track, with 11 locomotives, connects with six Class I railroads, and provides switching and haulage service. It is estimated that one third of the east-west rail freight in the United States crosses the Mississippi on the Huey P. Long Bridge segment of the railroad. The railroad is managed by the Public Belt Railroad Commission, which also owns and maintains the Huey P. Long Bridge.

About Optimization Solutions from GE Transportation

GE Transportation - Optimization Solutions is a leading provider of transportation management software and analytics to the railroad industry. Optimization Solutions offers integrated rail transportation solutions for enterprise-wide data integration and sharing. Optimization Solutions solve the world's toughest rail transportation challenges by leveraging in-depth knowledge of rail operations, intermodal terminal operating systems, and multi-modal transportation management to provide Software as a Service and licensed solutions to railroads and industrial shippers. Optimization Solutions software is used to manage rail and intermodal operations, signal and communication assets, railcar repair billing and inventory, and multi-modal visibility, planning, and execution for industrial shippers and logistics service providers. For more information please visit www.getransportation.com/rail/software.

About GE Transportation

GE Transportation, a unit of GE (NYSE: GE), solves the world's toughest transportation challenges. GE Transportation builds equipment that moves the rail, mining and marine industries. Our fuel-efficient and lower-emissions freight and passenger locomotives, diesel engines for rail, marine and stationary power applications, signaling and software solutions, drive systems for mining trucks, and value-added services help customers grow. GE Transportation is headquartered in Erie, Penn., and employs approximately 12,000 employees worldwide.


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