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Developments in the rail supply industry are heating up now that the holidays are over.

• Commonwealth Railway contracted RailComm Inc. to supply a centralized traffic-control system. RailComm will provide its Domain Operations Controller (DOC®) train-control system through a Web-enabled Software-as-a-Service delivery model. Genesee and Wyoming Inc.'s Portland & Western Railroad will remotely dispatch Commonwealth Railway's trains in Virginia.

• Florida East Coast Railway recently became the first railroad to electronically deliver the majority of its track and time authorities using Digital Concepts Inc.'s DigiCon® eAX™ (Electronic Authority Exchange) technology, according to Digital Concepts. For several weeks, eAX authorities represented nearly two-thirds of the 351-mile regional's total authorities, helping boost productivity and improve safety. eAX is designed to automate the work authority request/issue/release process and eliminate radio language exchange errors. The technology can be applied in both centralized traffic control and track warrant control territories.

• Amsted Rail promoted Brad Myers and Brian Hawkins to vice president. A 12-year Amsted Rail veteran, Myers most recently served as director of new business development. Hawkins, who joined the company in 1990, was director of industry relations. Amsted Rail owns ASF-Keystone Inc., Griffin Wheel Co. and Brenco.

• The Greenbrier Cos. reported a 16 percent year-over-year gain in revenue to $286 million in the rail-car builder's fiscal first quarter, which ended Nov. 30. Net earnings totaled $2.6 million compared with $1.9 million in the prior fiscal year. As of Nov. 30, Greenbrier's car backlog stood at 22,200 units valued at $1.73 billion vs. a 12,100-unit backlog valued at $830 million on Aug. 31, 2007.

• Lenord + Bauer named Sensor Products Inc. a U.S. distributor of its motion sensors, which are marketed to the rail industry for use on rail vehicles. Lenord + Bauer's speed sensors and encoders are designed to provide traction control and brake regulation, and monitor vehicle speed and distance. Signals from sensors also are used in event recorders and to secure doors while a train is moving. More than 2,500 trains worldwide are equipped with Lenord + Bauer's sensors.