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The rapidly approaching holidays haven't slowed developments in the rail supply industry:

• SKF announced plans to build a tapered bearing production facility in Russia to serve that country's growing rail bearing market. Construction is scheduled to start in September 2008 and conclude in April 2010. To be located near Moscow, the factory also will recondition bearings. Russian railways are introducing tapered bearings to replace cylindrical roller bearings and axle-box designs.

• Rail logistics software developer Bourque Data Systems Inc. (BDS) recently certified data file integration between RAILTRAC®, its rail shipment management software, and GPS and sensing devices of VeriWise™ RAIL, GE's remote rail-car monitoring system. The integration will enable shippers to receive car location and condition reports in real time and obtain regular data feeds to enhance decision-making, asset management and regulatory compliance, BDS said.

• Siemens Transportation Systems Inc. won a $31 million contract from Hampton Roads Transit to build nine S70 low-floor vehicles for "The Tide," a new light-rail system under construction in Norfolk, Va. The vehicles' design will be based on cars used in Charlotte, N.C. Hampton Roads Transit will be the fifth customer to use Siemens' S70 vehicles. The agency expects to launch service on the 7.4-mile light-rail system in 2010. Siemens will deliver the vehicles between June 2008 and November 2009.

• Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) named George Pierson chief operating officer-Americas operations. Since joining PB in February 2006, he has served as general counsel and secretary. Pierson will oversee 5,000 employees and hundreds of projects, including rapid transit system extensions in San Francisco and Seattle, and the $6.3 billion East Side Access project in New York City.

• Bombardier Transportation obtained a $130 million order from Deutsche Bahn to supply 64 double-deck coaches to be used on eastern routes in Schlweswig-Holstein. The German railway exercised an option contained in a 2003 framework contract. In second-quarter 2008, Bombardier will begin producing the vehicles at its Gorlitz, Germany, plant. The builder will deliver the coaches between October 2008 and October 2009.

• Engineering firm STV appointed John Drygulski vice president and northeast regional manager for the firm's construction management division. He most recently served as VP and director-public sector group for a NYC-based construction management firm and, among other projects, participated in the East Side Access project.