Exhibit 16.1 Office of the Chief Accountant Securities and Exchange Commission 450 Fifth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20549 May 31, 2002 Dear Sir or Madam, We have read the first four paragraphs of Item 4 included in the Form 8-K dated May 30, 2002, of Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and are in agreement with the statements contained therein. Very truly yours, /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP Copy to: Mr. Robert J. Brooks, Chief Financial Officer Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation