Rail supplier news from Pandrol, Hitachi Rail and Keolis (March 5)

Pandrol was selected as a partner for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Engineering Day for Sustainable Development (WED). The organization yesterday launched a year-long media campaign promoting engineering as a career. WED spans 100 countries and represents more than 30 million engineers, Pandrol officials said in a press release. As an official partner, Pandrol will help create the campaign and promote its own sustainable engineering practice.

Hitachi Rail and Auckland Transport have reached 3.5 million taps on New Zealand's new contactless payment system in the first three months of use. The project consisted of an overall payment validation infrastructure upgrade and work to support contactless, or tap, payments. Passengers can use credit cards or their smartphones to pay, Hitachi Rail officials said in a press release..

Keolis Commuter Services announced it will shift to a spring and summer schedule on March 24 for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation commuter-rail system. The new schedule maintains consistent service throughout the day, late at night and on weekends, Keolis officials said in a press release. Notable changes include new service to New Bedford and Fall River with the completion of the South Coast Rail project, and several temporary construction schedule changes.