Why are we covering a story about GE Transportation shipping its 1,000th Evolution Series locomotive?

It's a valid question. GE makes locomotives every day. It ships hundreds of them to customers each day and has built tens of thousands of them in its history.

But today's news that GE has shipped 1,000 of these big boys to customers in the United States and overseas is truly significant if you care about the health of Erie's economy.

We've all seen plenty of stories about what's wrong with our local economy. Our population is stagnant. Big employers like International Paper have left town. Our city is facing a huge budget deficit. And projects that are supposed to boost our economic muscles typically get mired in controversy (see today's story on the Convention Center shortfall if you need evidence).

But, through it all, Erie's largest and most significant employer is powering forward. And its muscular locomotives are, in turn, pulling our economy out of what would otherwise be a deep hole.

GE's importance to Erie's economy cannot be understated. The company employs 4,500 locally. It also generates business for hundreds of northwestern Pennsylvania that supply it with component parts and services.

It's tough to picture what our economic landscape would look like without GE. Not only would Erie be without 4,500 good-paying jobs, it would be without its signature company. It would also not have companies like Logistics Plus Inc. -- the freight management company that occupies the top floor of Erie's Union Station.

The fact that the most significant new product in GE Transportation's history is selling -- and selling well -- means we can rest assured that the cornerstone of our local economy remains strong.

And, knowing what I know about GE Transportation's business, I expect that statement to be true for many years.