Rail supplier news from TranSystems, RSI, RailComm and AllTranstek (Jan. 14)

Richard Morsches has been promoted to chief executive officer of TranSystems Corp. He replaces Brian Larson, who will remain at TranSystems as executive chairman. Morsches has more than 30 years of experience and leadership, and has served clients in the Chicago area, managed offices throughout the Chicago region and led the firm's strategy and sales efforts nationally, TranSystems officials said in a press release. He joined the firm in 1989 and has held a variety of leadership positions there, most recently serving as chief strategy and marketing officer.

The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) has promoted Amanda Patrick to vice president of trade shows and member relations. She joined the institute in 2008 as trade show and marketing manager, and is responsible for planning and managing exhibitions and sponsorships for the annual RSI/Coordinated Mechanical Associations conference and trade show, as well as the organization's presence at international exhibitions. Additionally, Patrick coordinates RSI's exhibition for the biennial Railway Interchange event. In her new role, she also oversees marketing activities and member relations initiatives. Before joining RSI, Patrick worked with Cassidy & Associates.

RailComm was selected to replace an obsolete contra system with its DOC® system at a Class I yard in Buffalo, N.Y. The system will be an upgrade to a modern computer-based operation of the receiving sections of the facility. RailComm's automation solution is aimed at allowing yard personnel to remotely control 68 switch machines to set routes through the automated sections of the yard. The system also will control existing snow melters in the switch locations, RailComm officials said in a press release.

AllTranstek LLC announced that it has provided the infrastructure used in a tank car experiment for the "MythBusters" television program. The experiment, which sought to create an implosion caused by a vacuum, involved two scrap tank cars that were delivered to a site near Boardman, Ore. AllTranstek procured the rail cars for the show, arranged logistics and provided technical support and oversight for the experiment. The episode will air Jan. 16.