Graham-White Manufacturing Company, a world leader in air drying technology in use on locomotives around the globe, recently provided 994-501MC Air Dryers on 78 GE Transportation System (GETS) locomotives bound for Tibet, China.

The air dryers were part of the initial locomotive order for rail equipment to service the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR), a 1,956 km rail system that runs from Germu, China, to Tibet's capital city, Lassa.

Because they would be required to operate in extreme environments, the 994 air dryer was rigorously tested in the laboratory to ensure optimum performance under rugged conditions. At its highest point, QTR elevations approach 15,000 ft., with long stretches of railway in mountainous terrain where air temperatures average under 0^oC.

"Fortunately, we were able to use standard 994 dryer technology for the QTR order, since they passed special high altitude performance tests to simulate what is arguably the toughest locomotive application in the world," says Jim Somerville, international operation manager. "The only required deviation from standard equipment was the substitution of dual English / Chinese language tags."

The 994 dryers were shipped to Erie, Pa beginning in October 2005 says Somerville. All locomotives are in operation and the dryers are working to our expectations. .

Somerville says the QTR project is a major source of pride in China. The railway is expected to bring increased tourism and trade to remote areas of Tibet that previously were less accessible.

The QTR is not Graham-White's first time into China. Since the mid to late 1980s, the company has supplied more than 400 sets of locomotive parts on GETS equipment sold there. However, the growth of the Chinese passenger and freight rail market has escalated in recent years, says Stewart Bruce, VP Marketing.

Bruce says that in addition to QTR, Graham-White expects to participate in the China Main Line Order (CMLO) project, supplying air dryers for approximately 300 each (600 total) locomotives to be built by GETS and Electro-Moving Diesel (EMD). Most of the CMLO locomotives will be built in China (Qishuyan and Dalian) with support of U.S. vendors like Graham-White over the next five years, he says.

"Graham-White has been proactive in supporting this rapidly expanding market," says Bruce. "In 2005, we increased our international operations staff by adding a manager focused on China and began seeking out alliances with Chinese business partners and domestic vendors. Our presence there will keep us at the forefront of the international air dryer market."

Somerville adds that Graham-White also has undertaken a demonstration project on one of the other toughest Chinese rail applications: the critical Harbin line providing coal to Beijing. That project is expected to be completed this year.

China is already a large railroad market. The quantity of locomotives produced in China is nearly on a par with US production, but its emphasis is primarily on electric locomotives.

"Historically, the Chinese railroad has been considered a strategic importance to the country," says Somerville. "But with the emergence of the 'new China' the railroads are more often seen as a primary piece of transportation infrastructure and under great pressure to expand rapidly in support of explosive Chinese economic growth. Surprisingly, this rapid railroad expansion will rely more and more on private funds."

Bruce adds, "This is just the beginning for China. Its explosive growth will make it one of the most exciting and dynamic business places to be for the foreseeable future. Graham-White intends to be there to help them meet some of those challenges by providing transportation products, equipment services, and creative new solutions."

Graham-White supplies a significant percent of all air dryers in locomotive use around the world. For more information on Graham-White products and services, log on to www.grahamwhite.com.

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Graham-White, headquartered in Salem, VA provides reliable transportation solutions. GW is a world technology leader in the drying of compressed air for locomotives and rail transit vehicles and a wide range of innovative products including the SafeSet™ Locomotive Parking Brake, Electronic Bell-E-BELL®, SludgeBraker™, Computerized Single Car Test Device and an assortment of heavy-duty pneumatic and electro-pneumatic valves and accessories to heavy rail, rail transit, military, truck & bus, and industrial clients.

At locations in Salem, VA, Carson City, NV and now Shreveport, LA, our 245 full-time associates provide the highest level of quality in design, manufacturing and customer service to customers around the globe. Our commitment to improve is evidenced by our ISO 9001:2000 compliance and our ability to meet the requirement of the American Association of Railways' M-1003 on all or our products and services.