General Electric — Transportation Locomotive Plant in Erie PA

Plaintiffs allegedly, in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation, were exposed to asbestos while working at the General Electric Transportation Locomotive plant in Erie PA. This page documents the Erie portion of GE’s multi-state industrial footprint. For the full corporate summary and other GE plants, see the General Electric manufacturer page.

Plant Description and Operating Era

The GE Erie Locomotive Plant (also called “Building 10” and the “Lawrence Park” complex) opened in 1907 and served as GE’s principal North American diesel-electric locomotive manufacturing plant for over a century. The site produced U-series, “Dash” series, AC4400CW, ES44AC, and Evolution-series locomotives — plus traction motors, power inverters, and locomotive electrical systems. GE Transportation was sold to Wabtec in 2019; portions of the Erie site continue to operate under Wabtec ownership.

Premises ACM Narrative

Plaintiffs allegedly, in publicly filed U.S. asbestos personal-injury and wrongful-death litigation, alleged that during the U.S. asbestos era (approximately 1930s-1980) the GE Erie Locomotive Plant allegedly involved asbestos-containing materials across the following pathways:

  • Asbestos pipe covering on steam mains, process piping, and utility lines throughout the manufacturing bays and powerhouse
  • Asbestos-block hot-side lagging on manufacturing furnaces, heat-treat ovens, and induction-heating equipment
  • Asbestos-fabric arc chute plates in plant switchgear, motor control centers, and load contactors
  • Asbestos sheet gaskets at process piping, boiler, and heat exchanger flanges
  • Asbestos-cement roofing and asbestos-fabric roof insulation on manufacturing bays and warehouses
  • Asbestos sprayed fireproofing on structural steel columns and floor decking (pre-1973 EPA ban)
  • Asbestos-fabric electrical winding insulation on GE-manufactured locomotive traction motors and generators during production, testing, and rework
  • Asbestos brake shoes, brake block dust, and locomotive gasket materials handled during final assembly and test-track operations

Workers Exposed

Plaintiffs allegedly alleged that trade workers at the GE Erie Locomotive Plant during the asbestos era included:

  • HFIAW Insulators — asbestos pipe covering and block insulation on steam and process lines
  • UA Pipefitters — flange bolt-up and gasket work on process piping and locomotive cooling systems
  • IBB Boilermakers — powerhouse boiler and heat-treat furnace refractory work
  • IBEW Electricians — plant switchgear, motor-control center, and traction-motor rewind-shop work
  • BAC Bricklayers — refractory relining on manufacturing furnaces
  • IUE / GE Salaried and hourly production workers — locomotive assembly line, traction-motor winding, testing, and rework
  • Millwrights — machine tool installation and heavy manufacturing equipment work

If You Worked at GE Erie

If you or a family member worked at the GE Erie Locomotive Plant in Erie PA — or any other GE manufacturing site — before 1980 and have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, or another asbestos-related disease, you may have a legal claim.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956