Rail supplier news from HDR, Bohr, EQT and Intersection (June 24)

HDR has been selected by the High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency to provide engineering, design and advisory services for the intercity passenger rail corridor linking Palmdale and Victorville, California. The strategic 54-mile rail corridor will improve connectivity with California’s planned high-speed rail network and open access to housing, jobs and cultural opportunities previously out of reach, according to an HDR press release. With proposed speeds of up to 180 miles per hour, the service will provide a fast connection from a multimodal transportation hub in Los Angeles County’s Antelope Valley to the future Brightline West high-speed rail station in San Bernardino County. Under a five-year contract, HDR will provide engineering services including rail design, systems and station integration, operations and maintenance facility design, systems planning, bridge design, right of way coordination and environmental support services. The project is in the environmental documentation and preliminary engineering stage, with construction slated to start in the early 2030s.

Bohr Electronics introduced a fully integrated real-time kinematic (RTK) system designed for railroads, combining precision GPS technology with the simplicity of a ready-to-deploy solution. While RTK isn't new to the rail industry, this product offering is the first time it has been specifically designed for rail applications, Bohr officials said in a press release. The RTK system includes the base station receiver, the onboard prevision navigation module and antenna systems.

EQT Infrastructure has acquired Eagle Railcar Services, a provider of regulatory mandated rail-car repair and maintenance services, from JM Texas Cos. Founded in 2001 by Marc Walraven and his father, Eagle has grown from one location in Elkhart, Texas, to 13 full-service repair and maintenance facilities across the United States, EQT officials said in a press release. Walraven will remain on the board to help position the company for growth under its new owner, and will remain CEO and president of Eagle on an interim basis, according to a EQT press release.

Intersection, a media and technology company, has obtained a new nine-year contract to sell advertising for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Intersection has been the advertising partner for SEPTA since 2005, company officials said in a press release. Over the 20-year partnership, SEPTA and Intersection have deployed hundreds of digital station platform screens and digital urban panels outside of station entrances.