1/30/2013

Railroading Supplier Spotlight Article
Rail supplier updates from Koppers, Bombardier, Alstom, Siemens, IDS and TranSystems

Koppers Inc. and Norfolk Southern Railway have agreed to a three-year contract for bonded rail-joint assemblies, according to a Koppers press release. In addition to bonded rail-joint assemblies, Koppers provides various other types of rail joint bar and track components, along with treated crosswise and other treated products and services to NS. Under the new contract, Koppers will provide the bonded rail-joint assemblies from its plant in Huntington, Va.

Bombardier Transportation, leading a consortium with Belam Riga, has obtained a contract for the construction and upgrade of the signaling and associated infrastructure systems in the Bolderaja region of Latvia. Bombardier will deliver its INTERFLO 200 solution to Latvian Railways on a section of the Bolderaja-Zasulauks line. Bombardier's share of the contract is valued at $7.1 million, according to a company press release.

Alstom, a member of the Saturno consortium, has been awarded a contract to supply part of the signaling system and to design and install railway infrastructure on the Treviglio-Brescia section of the Milan-Verona high-speed/high-capacity line. Alstom's part of the contract is worth about $27 million. The project is slated for completion in spring 2016.

Danish railway infrastructure operator Banedanmark has commissioned Siemens to equip 840 rail vehicles with Global System for Mobile Communication Railways (GSM-R) technology. "The digital mobile radio system GSM-R has established itself as the international standard for onboard communication and is one of the key components of the Danish railway network's cross-border traffic to Germany and Sweden," said Juergen Brandes, chief executive officer of the Siemens Rail Automation business unit, in a prepared statement. The vehicles will be equipped by early 2015. The order is worth about $27 million.

IDS Transportation Services L.L.S. and Union Pacific Railroad subsidiary Streamline have agreed to co-market intermodal services with IDS to "improve awareness of the benefits of intermodal transportation in the shipping community, and position IDS and Streamline as solution providers," according to a joint press release. "For five years, Streamline has focused on driving highway conversions to Union Pacific Railroad," said Streamline Assistant Vice President Kari Kirchhoefer. "Our co-marketing agreement with IDS was a great opportunity to work with a long-term customer who can position both companies to capitalize on the growing market."

TranSystems has named Paul Hentschke assistant vice president. During his 15-year career with the firm, he has developed transportation solutions through multiple leadership positions. He is a leader on the freight-rail team, working with Class Is, as well as energy, grain and economic development clients, according to a company press release. Hentschke is a member of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-Of-Way Association, serving on its Yards and Terminals Committee.