Accounts Payable, Current Accounts payable Accounts receivable Accumulated depreciation Accumulated depreciation Accumulated other comprehensive loss Additional paid-in capital Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operations: Amendment Flag Amortization expense Amortization expense Total Assets Total Assets Assets Total current assets Total current assets Current Assets ACQUISITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS Cash and cash equivalents Cash, end of period Cash, beginning of year (Decrease) increase in cash (Decrease) increase in cash COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Cash dividends, per share Common stock, par value Common stock, shares authorized Common stock, shares issued Common stock, oustanding Common stock, $.01 par value; 100,000,000 shares authorized: 66,174,767 shares issued and 47,940,596 and 47,688,695 outstanding at September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively Cost of sales Cost of sales Current Fiscal Year End Date Customer deposits and advanced billings Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Current Deferred income taxes Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Noncurrent Deferred income taxes Deferred Tax Liabilities, Noncurrent Deferred income taxes Depreciation and amortization STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document - Document and Entity Information [Abstract] Document Fiscal Period Focus Document Fiscal Year Focus Document Period End Date Document Type Earnings Per Common Share Earnings Per Share, Basic Net income attributable to Wabtec shareholders Earnings Per Share, Basic [Abstract] Basic Earnings Per Share, Diluted Net income attributable to Wabtec shareholders Earnings Per Share, Diluted [Abstract] Diluted EARNINGS PER SHARE Effect of changes in currency exchange rates Accrued compensation Entity Central Index Key Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Entity [Domain] Entity Filer Category Entity Registrant Name Excess income tax benefits from exercise of stock options Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Operating Activities Excess income tax benefits from exercise of stock options FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT Loss (gain) on disposal of property, plant and equipment Loss (gain) on disposal of property, plant and equipment Goodwill Gross Profit Gross profit Income from operations before income taxes Income from operations before income taxes Income Statement [Abstract] INCOME TAXES Income tax expense Income tax expense Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Payable Accounts payable Increase (Decrease) in Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable Accrued income taxes Accrued liabilities and customer deposits Increase (Decrease) in Inventories Inventories Changes in operating assets and liabilities Other assets and liabilities Other assets and liabilities INTANGIBLES Other intangibles, net Interest expense, net Inventory Disclosure [Text Block] INVENTORIES Inventory, Net Inventories Legal Entity [Axis] Total liabilities Total liabilities Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Total current liabilities Total current liabilities Current Liabilities Current portion of long-term debt Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities Long-term debt Long-term Debt [Text Block] LONG-TERM DEBT Non-controlling interest BUSINESS Net cash provided by financing activities Net cash provided by financing activities Financing Activities Net cash used for investing activities Net cash used for investing activities Investing Activities Net cash provided by operating activities Net cash provided by operating activities Operating Activities Net income attributable to Wabtec shareholders Net income attributable to Wabtec shareholders Net income attributable to Wabtec shareholders Other income and expenses Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract] Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract] Total operating expenses Total operating expenses Income from operations Income from operations Other accrued liabilities Other current assets Other noncurrent assets Other Assets OTHER EXPENSE, NET Other long term liabilities Other (expense) income, net Acquisition purchase price adjustment Acquisition purchase price adjustment Stock repurchase Stock repurchase Cash dividends ($0.03 per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009) Cash dividends ($0.03 per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009) Acquisitions of business, net of cash acquired Acquisitions of business, net of cash acquired Purchase of property, plant and equipment and other Purchase of property, plant and equipment and other EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS Reserve for postretirement and pension benefits Preferred stock, shares authorized Preferred stock, shares issued Preferred stock, 1,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued Proceeds from debt Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment Proceeds from exercise of stock options and other benefit plans Product Warranty Accrual, Current Accrued warranty Product Warranty Accrual, Noncurrent Accrued warranty WARRANTIES Property, plant and equipment Property, Plant and Equipment, Net Property, plant and equipment, net Payments of debt Payments of debt Engineering expense Engineering expense Retained earnings Net sales GUARANTOR SUBSIDIARIES FINANCIAL INFORMATION SEGMENT INFORMATION Selling, General and Administrative Expense Selling, general and administrative expense Stock-based compensation expense ACCOUNTING POLICIES Statement [Line Items] Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract] Statement of Financial Position [Abstract] Statement [Table] Total Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation shareholders' equity Total Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation shareholders' equity Total shareholders' equity Total shareholders' equity Shareholders' Equity Total Other Assets Total Other Assets Total other assets Trading Symbol Treasury stock, shares Treasury stock, at cost, 18,234,171 and 18,486,072 shares, at September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively Treasury stock, at cost, 18,234,171 and 18,486,072 shares, at September 30, 2010 and December 31, 2009, respectively Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted Diluted Weighted average shares outstanding Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Basic