One year after Knorr-Bremse’s acquisition of KB Signaling, the Control, Command, and Signaling (CCS) business unit based in Grain Valley, Mo., the company has been integrated into Knorr-Bremse Group. In the course of a successful first business year with strong profit, KB Signaling has further optimized its operations, portfolio, and further strengthened customer focus—becoming an even more comprehensive partner for rail signaling solutions worldwide. Fully in line with Knorr-Bremse’s BOOST strategic program, KB Signaling is thereby making a key contribution to the sustainable growth and long-term development of Knorr-Bremse.
KB Signaling was acquired from Alstom in 2024, including the unit’s complete North American conventional signaling portfolio, sales, service, and manufacturing operations. It joined the freight and transit groups to round out Knorr-Bremse’s rail business units in North America. In total, approximately 700 employees work on solutions for customers in the passenger and transit as well as rail freight segments and deliver long-term service for KB Signaling’s large installed base of products worldwide.
“Rail mobility is increasingly driven by the seamless interaction of two safety-critical elements: rail vehicles and infrastructure,” says Dr. Nicolas Lange, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse AG with global responsibility for the Rail Division. “So, it was entirely logical that we should enter the rail signaling business. By providing solutions for trains and trackside, we continue to make a major contribution to improving and accelerating rail traffic while enhancing safety and reliability in rail networks. The move represented a well-thought-out diversification of our business—a significant step in our global intent to transform from a vehicle system supplier to a leading platform partner for the entire rail ecosystem.”
KB Signaling Managing Director Jeff Baker says: “The progress we’ve seen at KB Signaling over the past year reflects the strength of our people, the relevance of our technologies, and the clarity of our long-term direction. Our successful transformation is making a difference every day. By combining deep engineering expertise with a renewed customer-first culture, KB Signaling is helping to drive Knorr-Bremse’s vision of delivering safety-critical and mission-critical systems to the rail ecosystem worldwide.”
Integrated Solutions to Enhance Rail Safety, Efficiency
KB Signaling’s products are divided into track-based and train-based solutions. The former includes electronic signaling elements on or alongside railway tracks including solutions for interlockings, level crossings and track circuits, as well as systems for the intelligent condition monitoring of tracks and switches, complete with data analytics (Wayside Intelligence) and automated solutions for making railroad crossings even safer. Vehicle-based solutions include train control, Automatic Train Protection (ATP), and train monitoring functions.
With its integration-friendly approach, KB Signaling is focusing on best-in-class solutions that are compatible with existing infrastructure. This model makes KB Signaling an ideal collaborator for rail operators, system integrators, and transit agencies seeking modular solutions that work within broader project scopes. Many of KB Signaling’s new offerings are powered by the company’s Wayside System Data Management Module (WSDMM™), which greatly extends digitalization and data intelligence of rail networks. Recent product highlights include:
- Rail TempEst™, a groundbreaking software application that leverages existing rail infrastructure to estimate rail temperature and longitudinal force in real time—helping operators reduce the risk of buckling and rail break-related derailments without installing new sensors.
- IXC-R20™, the rail industry’s first redundant solid-state crossing controller, providing seamless failover functionality and thus offering even greater safety, reliability and maximum compatibility with existing systems.
- Electro Code™ 6 (EC6™), an advanced digital track circuit that enables precise train detection and data-driven insights into ballast condition and rail integrity—particularly effective in challenging environments like coastal or contaminated track beds.
- The KB Signaling Certified Developer Program, which is expanding the WSDMM software ecosystem with partner-built applications—replacing legacy local components with software-based solutions already deployed on thousands of fielded WSDMM devices.
On Course for Global Expansion
KB Signaling’s already strong position in the North American marketplace provides the opportunity to expand its focus and renew alignment with customers worldwide—specifically, in regions that have immediate applicability for existing technology.
“We see major opportunities to serve markets beyond our home base in North America that comply with the AAR (Association of American Railroads) standards,” says KB Signaling’s Jeff Baker. “In particular, we see operators in Australia, South America, and parts of Europe exploring how KB Signaling’s solutions can complement or enhance their existing infrastructure. Many of these customers are seeking alternatives to rigid turnkey packages and want to incorporate solutions that provide greater scalability and flexibility and utilize local expertise.”
The entry into international markets reflects Knorr-Bremse’s broader approach to deliver customized CCS offerings worldwide. In the mid-term, Knorr-Bremse has set its sights on Europe and Asia, where the company aims to benefit from the dynamic growth of local rail markets through, for example, partnerships and possible acquisitions.
In European markets, such as the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, which operate according to CENELEC standards (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization), Knorr-Bremse is already implementing KB Signaling products in customer projects—generating new business opportunities and synergies with the ongoing activities of its European signaling technology brand, Zelisko. The total volume of the rapidly growing global CCS market, to which Knorr-Bremse has gained access with KB Signaling, is estimated at up to € 20 billion.
