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• ABB has agreed to acquire Envitech Energy to expand its technology offerings in the electrical equipment and solutions sector for rail infrastructure, ABB officials said in a prepared statement. With its headquarters in Pointe Claire, Quebec, Envitech has 36 employees and supplies rail electrical equipment and solutions for urban transportation applications, including traction rectifiers, traction power components, trackside braking energy absorption devices, automatic grounding and energy storage solutions. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

• Bombardier Transportation has obtained a $214 million contract for propulsion and control equipment in India from Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC), a joint venture between the Ministry of Railways and the Government of Maharashtra, according to a Bombardier press release. Funded equally by the World Bank and the Government of India, the project entails the design, manufacturing, delivery and testing of Bombardier MITRAC propulsion and control equipment, as well as fans, compressors, passenger information systems and high-voltage instruments. The order involves 72 12-car commuter trains; delivery is scheduled for completion in third-quarter 2014.

• RailComm will expand its existing yard system at BNSF’s Alliance South Yard in Alliance, Neb., where RailComm’s Domain Operations Controller (DOC®) System will be used to remotely control switches, according to the company. The DOC® system will include workstations that will allow the user to monitor device status and review operation logs of all system activity. The workstations will display a graphical representation of the yard area, enabling the user to view all the devices in the field. RailComm’s 2.4 GHz RADiANT™ data radios will provide a wireless communication network to link the office with the field locations.

• Alstom Transport S.A. and the Russian Railways have signed a memorandum of cooperation regarding the application of lean manufacturing technologies. The agreement will introduce IRIS requirements for international standard railway equipment. The agreement also establishes joint training for specialists to implement lean manufacturing, according to an Alstom press release.

• The Wheels, Axles, Bearings and Lubrication Committee of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) has approved TÜV Rheinland Rail Sciences Inc.’s (TÜV RSI) plan to test rail-car bearings at its sciences engineering and metallurgical facility in Omaha, Neb., in accordance with the AAR Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices, Specification M-959. The AAR requires all manufacturers to submit new types of bearings to an accelerated lifecycle test to ensure their safety and reliability before distribution in the North American market. TÜV RSI’s is building a second bearings tester to ensure availability and fast turn-around times, according to the company.

• RailTerm has appointed Eric Gagnon director, infrastructure. He will be responsible for managing structural engineering activities. Gagnon is a structural engineer with extensive experience in structure maintenance and construction project management. Prior to joining RailTerm, he was a project manager for Hatch Mott MacDonald, and served CN for more than 15 years in various positions in the structures and bridges and railway departments.

• Hanson Professional Services Inc. recently named Scott Opie railroad engineer in Kansas City, Mo., where he will provide rail, transportation, drainage and site design services for Hanson’s rail clients nationwide. Opie has more than 13 years of experience in the design and construction of various public and private rail and transportation projects. Previously, he was a project manager and project engineer assigned to several rail projects for Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway Co.