Rail supplier news from Greenbrier, Siemens, Alstom, Hardesty & Hanover, Focused Technology and Fugro (March 22)

Greenbrier today announced it has received 3,800 new rail-car orders with an aggregate value of nearly $450 million during its fiscal second quarter that ended Feb. 28. The orders include tank cars, automobile-carrying cars and covered hopper cars. The company also announced it expects revenue of approximately $650 million and unadjusted earnings per share of 7 to 9 cents in the fiscal quarter. Challenges in the Romania and Gunderson manufacturing facilities and rail-car repair operations impacted results by 29 cents, including one-time charges of 14 cents related to loss contingencies on certain rail-car contracts — primarily in Romania — along with facility closure costs in the car repair operations, according to a Greenbrier press release.

Siemens Mobility will deliver 61 Vectron MS locomotives to Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) in March 2020. Siemens’ contract includes an option for the delivery of up to 200 more units. The trains will be operated by the Rail Cargo Group, the freight division of OBB, and are planned for cross-border freight service in several European countries. In a separate agreement, Siemens will deliver 25 Smartron locomotives to Paribus Holding Co., a Hamburg, Germany-based asset management and investment firm for rail rolling stock, in October 2019. The trains are intended for freight transport in Germany. Siemens will be responsible for train maintenance for eight years.

Alstom has signed a $150 million euro contract to deliver 41 Coradia Lint regional trains to Transdev by September 2020. The trains will operate in the Germany region of Bavaria, Alstom officials said in a press release. Alstom also opened its online marketplace dedicated to the railway sector. “StationOne” connects rail industry professionals and is designed to promote and access a broad range of mobility-related product and services. It offers parts and commodities for mobility, and specializes in all areas of the rail sector, including trains, infrastructure, depots and stations, Alstom officials said in a release.

Engineering firm Hardesty & Hanover, LLC  has acquired consulting firm Frederick P. Clark Associates. The firm specializes in public transportation planning and land use, traffic planning and operation studies, and traffic impact analyses, according to a Hardesty & Hanover press release.

Focused Technology Solutions hired Joe Calabrese as a senior advisor. Prior to joining the firm, Calabrese was chief executive officer of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority since 2000. He previously was president and executive director of the Central New York Regional Transit Authority, according to a Focused Technology press release. Calabrese is an active board member for the American Public Transportation Association.

Fugro, a geo-data specialist, has been awarded a contract by Network Rail to survey tracks covering more than 850 miles in Wales and the border counties of England. The project includes the proposed and current Transport for Wales Rail Services operational and diversion routes, including data acquisition on parts of London north western and western routes. The collected data will be used by Network Rail to support a new train introduction program and validate track position on route sections throughout the country, according to a Fugro press release.