Rail supplier news from FTS and Jacobs

FTS Rail's Peter M. Bartek has announced Peter Bartek Jr. succeeds him as CEO and Josiah Stiemann is the company's new chief operating officer. "Peter J. and Josiah have already been running the show for the past two years. They’ve earned the trust of the Class Is, short lines, contractors," Peter M. Bartek posted on LinkedIn. "They have delivered results, and proven they’re ready to lead FTS into its next phase. Bringing in new, younger leadership to lead the charge just makes sense." As part of the succession, Peter M. Bartek is shifting his focus to "large innovation initiatives, key stakeholders and leading the board of directors, while continuing to support the team and long-term vision." In 2025, Progressive Railroading named Stiemann a Rising Star in the rail industry.

Jacobs has been selected by the San Diego Association of Governments to manage construction of the San Dieguito Lagoon double track and special events platform project. The project is designed to enhance capacity and reliability along the Los Angeles–San Diego–San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Corridor, which is Southern California's sole rail link and one of the nation's busiest, carrying more than 150 daily passenger trains, according to a Jacobs press release. Jacobs will manage 2.1 miles of track improvements, including a new double track to eliminate a major bottleneck between Solana Beach and Del Mar fairgrounds. The contract's financial value was not included in the press release.