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• GE Transportation and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) have teamed up to compete for an Indian Railways contract for 1,000 diesel locomotives. GE recently was shortlisted by the railway to compete for the tender. GE, BHEL and the Indian Railways would form a joint venture to carryout the deal. GE would provide diesel locomotives based on its Evolution® Series platform, which is designed to reduce emissions by 40 percent and cut fuel usage by 5 percent compared with a conventional locomotive. If it wins the tender, GE’s locomotive for India would feature peak output of 6,000 gross horsepower, and provide 40 percent more power and weigh 30 percent less than Evolution Series locomotives used in North America.

• Ansaldo STS - Union Switch & Signal (US&S) has promoted Keith Szewczyk from director of product development to assistant vice president of engineering. He will lead the system and application engineering groups and be responsible for platform systems, including communication-based train control, positive train control and driverless platforms. Szewczyk has served US&S for 11 years in various capacities.

• Planning, engineering and management firm JMDiaz Inc. (JMD) obtained a contract from the city of Riverside, Calif., to develop two quiet zones along BNSF Railway Co. and Union Pacific Railroad corridors. JMD will evaluate 16 grade crossings on the BNSF corridor and one on the UP corridor to eliminate routine train horn blowing in the city and adjoining communities. The project — considered the largest quiet zone led by a local southern California agency, JMD said — will complement grade separations and wayside horns in the city.

• Bombardier Transportation’s FLEXITY Outlook trams for Brussels' Societe des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles won a "Design at Work" Award, which is presented by the Belgian Interior Foundation to recognize achievements in creative and contemporary design. The trams won the award in the "Mobility" category primarily because of their “intelligent” use of space, indirect lighting and color scheme, Bombardier said.

• Kelso Technologies Inc. has instituted its first financing vehicle to help the company increase sales and accelerate market penetration for its JS line of pressure-relief valves. Under an agreement signed with AmeriFactors Inc., Kelso receives early payment on its invoices to customers to avoid delays in receivables that normally are paid 30 to 90 days after invoicing. Kelso also offers the Manway Securement System.