Rail supplier news from Alstom, Saft, T-Mobile and TRAC (June 29)

Alstom this week presented its first Prima T8 AZ8A electric freight locomotive to Azerbaijan Railways. Capable of towing up to 9,000 tons, the eight-axle unit is based on the KZ8A locomotives in service in Kazakhstan. The company presented the Prima T8 locomotive at its site in Astana, Kazakhstan, where 40 units are being manufactured by Alstom joint venture EKZ. In 2014, Azerbaijan Railways awarded EKZ a contract to build 50 locomotives, including 10 Prima M4 AZ4A passenger locomotives.

French industrial battery manufacturer Saft this year is marking its 100th anniversary. The company provides specialized batteries for transportation, energy storage and Internet of Things applications. Saft serves more than 3,000 customers worldwide, and has research centers in France and the United States, company officials said in a press release.

Metro Transit-St. Louis and T-Mobile have installed special antennas inside light-rail tunnels to provide voice and high-speed LTE data service for T-Mobile and MetroPCS customers. Components for T-Mobile's distributed antenna system was installed at six MetroLink stations to amplify cellular signals in tunnels in downtown St. Louis, the Central West End and along portions of the Blue Line. T-Mobile funded the project, Metro Transit officials said in a press release. The project's cost wasn't disclosed.

TRAC Intermodal announced plans to add more than 2,000 new and fully refurbished premium chassis to its Gulf regional pool, with more equipment additions coming later this year. The move is aimed at supporting the expected surge in U.S. resin exports and increased volume in the Gulf region, company officials said in a press release. The investment also is part of TRAC's broader fleet modernization program, which is designed to make premium equipment readily available to motor carriers at strategic locations.