COVER PAGE - USD ($) $ in Billions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Feb. 14, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Cover page.
Document Type	10-K
Document Annual Report	true
Document Period End Date	Dec. 31, 2019
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	033-90866
Entity Registrant Name	WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE TECHNOLOGIES CORP
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
EIN	25-1615902
Entity Address, Address Line One	30 Isabella Street
Entity Address, City or Town	Pittsburgh
Entity Address, State or Province	PA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	15212
City Area Code	(412)
Local Phone Number	825-1000
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
Trading Symbol	WAB
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Public Float			$ 12.7
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)		191,711,224
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Portions of the Proxy Statement for the registrant’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on May 15, 2020 are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.
Entity Central Index Key	0000943452
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Amendment Flag	false