GE: Locomotive production at General Electric Transportation’s Erie plant is to be cut by approximately 40% this year in response to the global economic slowdown. The company expects to complete around 485 locos in 2009, compared with 861 in 2008 and 907 in 2007.

Around 350 of the 5 600 staff will be made redundant in April, and another 1 200 laid off temporarily in May. GE had taken on 2 000 new workers over the past five years. The factory has 1 500 locos on order but more than half are now to be delivered in 2010 and 2011, as many orders have been delayed by customers.