Rail supplier news from Greenbrier, WAVE, Cambridge Systematics, Photector, Burns and NRC (April 18)

The Greenbrier Cos. has entered into an agreement to acquire the manufacturing business of American Railcar Industries from ITE Management LP for $400 million this year. The acquisition will diversify and broaden Greenbrier’s product offerings, according to a Greenbrier press release. Greenbrier will acquire two rail-car manufacturing facilities in Arkansas and five other operations that provide rail-car component and parts supply. These operations build hopper car outlets, tank car valves, axles, castings and rail-car running boards, among other ancillary rail-car products, according to a Greenbrier officials.

Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification (WAVE) will partner with Cummins Inc., Schneider Electric, Utah State University and Total Transportation Services Inc. (TTSI) to develop, deploy and demonstrate a 500 kilowatt wireless inductive charger to support zero-emission battery electric drayage trucks at the Port of Los Angeles. The project was awarded $8.4 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, according to a WAVE press release. The WAVE technology transfers power through the air from an embedded charging pad placed in the pavement to a receiving pad mounted on a vehicle's undercarriage. The fast charger will allow TTSI’s zero-emission drayage trucks to charge during normal cargo loading and unloading stops. WAVE will deploy and field test the system this year and next.

Cambridge Systematics announced the promotion of 10 staff members to principal in a press release. They are: Dina Baker, Susan Binder, Rachel Copperman, Tom Harrington, David Johnson, Karen Kiselewski, Marty Milkovits, Nikhil Puri, Paul Sorensen and Sam Van Hecke. 

PEIR rebranded to Photector and launched a new website and mobile application. The Photector app allows users to capture and store images taken during inspection and documentation of equipment interchanged between parties in the supply chain, according to a company press release. The company also announced senior level hires, including Neal Gehrig as senior director of sales, Josh Evans as vice president of product, Bonnie Hanson as head of brand and marketing and Dan Holmoe as director of user experience and design. 

Burns Engineering Inc. has opened a new office in Washington, D.C. Derek Brown, senior railroad and transit project manager, will lead the team serving clients in the Washington metropolitan area, according to a Burns press release.

The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) will hold the 16th annual Rail Construction and Maintenance Equipment Auction on April 24 in Lonoke, Arkansas. Contractors, suppliers and railroads are invited to sell or donate equipment to auction attendees at Blackmon Auctions. Equipment being auctioned includes tie inserters and removers, tie cranes, spikers, earth movers, materials handlers, hi-rail welding trucks and more. A percentage of auction proceeds will go to NRC's safety, training and education program.