October 2002

Remanufacturing Order from Metro North Railroad
Leads to a 50-75% Increase in Gear Box Life Expectancy

(Kulpsville, PA) Metro North Railroad has elected to exercise a one (1) year option order with United Knitting Machine Co. Inc.(UKM) for the remanufacture of General Electric GA-56 gear cases. The order will run through December 2003.

The gear cases, some 20 to 25 years old, are typically found to have out-of-round bore diameters, sabotaging bearing life and increasing Mean Distance Between Failure (MDBF) rates for bearings and gears.

By remanufacturing the gear case prior to rebuilding the complete gear box, life expectancy for the entire assembly can be extended by as much as 50 to 75%.

The remanufacturing process includes stripping, non-destructive testing, repairing, welding, and machining of all bore diameters, followed by a post-coordinate measuring machine inspection. Units typically have the oil feed system for bearings and gears inspected and evaluated prior to painting and final shipment.

According to UKM Vice President, Frank Weisbecker, Jr., in excess of (100) units have already been remanufactured and placed into service in Metro North's fleet of M1, M2, M3 and M4 cars. “Remanufacturing makes sense for the transit industry particularly in this tight economy where Authorities are trying to extend the service life of existing equipment. We’re seeing many more opportunities for this type of work ” states Weisbecker.