ASHBURN, Va. – April 23, 2025 – Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions Division today announced that it has successfully completed the development phase and certification by external auditors of the new electromechanical train tilting stabilization system it is supplying for use on Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) RABDe 500 InterCity-Neigezug (ICN) high-speed passenger trains. Curtiss-Wright’s facility in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland is providing SBB with its precision stabilization technology to upgrade 44 RABDe 500 ICN high-speed passenger trains currently in operation. Curtiss-Wright’s flexible modular approach to high precision electromechanical stabilization delivers a cost-effective method for upgrading legacy train tilting systems by enabling individual hardware components to be replaced or upgraded as needed, instead of replacing the entire system. The first modernized RABDe 500 ICN “Tilting Train” was officially presented on October 24, 2024, and will commence commercial service soon. Under the contract, shipping will continue through 2031.
“We are proud to announce the successful completion of the development and certification phases of our upgraded electromechanical train tilting system for Swiss Federal Railways high-speed passenger trains,” said Brian Perry, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions. “A perfect example of our ability to manage obsolescence, this modernized train tilting system is an upgrade of our original solution, first put into operation by SBB almost 25 years. It meets today’s stringent European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization EN 50657 standard for software and electronic systems on rolling stock, to enable decades more of reliable operation. This contract represents SBB’s continued trust and confidence in our high-precision engineering and quality.”
Curtiss-Wright’s ultra-rugged and reliable electromechanical tilting train technology is designed to provide SBB’s passengers with safer, more comfortable travel and help maintain schedules. The cost-effective modular solution’s highly responsive train tilting capabilities provide smoother car body movements that constantly maintain the stability of passenger compartments. Additionally, the upgraded stabilization system enables trains to maintain higher speeds around curves on existing railways without sacrificing safety or passenger comfort, resulting in reduced travel time to ensure trains stay on schedule.
In addition to supplying the tilting system hardware and software (including coach tilting drives and controllers, train tilting computers, pantograph tilting drives, power electronics and pantograph tilting system), Curtiss-Wright also developed the required processes and procedures in accordance with the Safety Integrity Level (SIL2) standard. The upgraded tilting system includes the latest advances in motion control and inertial technology, while meeting the latest safety standards. Designed to meet the demanding EN 50657 safety and integrity standard, Curtiss-Wright’s technology delivers the high reliability required by SBB to operate its trains 24/7 and 365 days a year.
Curtiss-Wright is an industry-leading supplier of electromechanical and electrohydraulic stabilization products that provide advanced motion control for defense and industrial customers. These solutions are used in demanding applications around the world, including military ground vehicles, high-speed trains, camera crane rigs, and specialty lift applications.
For more information about Curtiss-Wright’s stabilization technology, please visit www.curtisswrightds.com and LinkedIn.
About Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Curtiss-Wright Corporation is a global integrated business that provides highly engineered products, solutions and services mainly to Aerospace & Defense markets, as well as critical technologies in demanding Commercial Power, Process and Industrial markets. Headquartered in Davidson, N.C., we leverage a workforce of approximately 8,600 highly skilled employees who develop, design and build what we believe are the best engineered solutions to the markets we serve. Building on the heritage of Glenn Curtiss and the Wright brothers, Curtiss-Wright has a long tradition of providing innovative solutions through trusted customer relationships. For more information, visit www.curtisswright.com.
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John Wranovics
Director of Public Relations
John Wranovics has over thirty years of experience in managing media relations and the promotion of high technology products. He has been with Curtiss-Wright since 2003. He has a degree in English Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.
