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• GE Transportation plans to cut 350 jobs and temporarily furlough 1,200 workers at its Erie, Pa., locomotive plant because of production declines. The company expects locomotive production to decline more than 40 percent this year vs. 2008. More than half of GE’s backlog is slated for production in 2010 and 2011.

• The Greenbrier Cos. announced plans to downsize its workforce, reduce wages and implement other cost-cutting measures because of macroeconomic conditions and continued softness in the railroad supply market. The moves will save the rail-car builder about $16 million. Layoffs and early retirements will affect about 150 employees, including workers at the company’s Gunderson and Concarril car plants, and various Greenbrier Rail Services car repair and refurbishment shops, and corporate and office staff. Greenbrier also plans to cut costs for its European operations.

• Graham-White Mfg. Co. has acquired The Vista Corp., which operates a remanufacturing facility for severe-duty locomotive-engine components in Roanoke, Va. The acquisition will enable Graham-White to offer a wider range of remanufactured components from four nationwide locations, the company said. Graham-White provides new and remanufactured components for heavy and transit rail, bus and industrial clients.

• Alstom won a contract from Spanish railway network administrator ADIF and its partners Acciona and Comsa to upgrade a 25-mile Girona-Figueres line to European UIC standards. Alstom will install signaling and telecommunications equipment, and equip the line with its Level 1 Atlas 100 ERTMS signaling and Smartlock electronic interlocking systems. In addition, the company will install a third rail to create a dual-gauge track. Alstom also recently delivered the first five Metropolis cars to Budapest public transport operator BKV for the Budapest Metro in Hungary. The trainsets are part of a May 2006 order for 170 Metropolis cars. Alstom will supply 22 five-car trainsets for the M2 line and 22 four-car trainsets for the M4 line.

• A consortium comprising Siemens Mobility and China’s Beijing Huatie Information Technology Development Corp. obtained a contract from Guangdong Guangfo Inter-City Co. Ltd. to provide signaling systems for the 20-mile Guang-Fo Line, which will feature 21 stations. The line’s first phase between Foshan and XiLang is scheduled to open in late 2010 and second phase between XiLang and Guangzhou is set to open in late 2012. Siemens will provide its Trainguard MT automatic train-control system, Vicos OC 501 automatic operations control system and Sicas ECC electronic interlocking.

• Architectural, engineering, planning and construction management firm STV has appointed Milo Riverso president. He most recently was executive vice president. Riverso joined STV in 2005 as senior vice president of STV Construction Inc. and later became chief operating officer. He previously held various executive management positions at a number of construction management firms, and was president and chief executive officer of the New York City School Construction Authority.

• Landis Industries Inc. has sold all intellectual property rights, proprietary technical information and tooling for its rail product line to TransTech Corp. TransTech will become the original equipment manufacturer and supplier of all new and replacement Landis rail products, including Landis’ direct-fixation rail fasteners.

• Automated Railroad Maintenance Systems (ARMS) has signed an agreement with Smiths Group Businesses’ Transtector and PolyPhasor to become their North American rail industry distributor. Transtector and PolyPhasor are global providers of power-quality products, including AC and DC, data and signal, and RF/coaxial surge protection, and lightning protection and grounding systems. ARMS is represented by Transportation Products Sales Co.

• MISCOR Group Ltd. announced today that Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Richard Mullin resigned to pursue other business opportunities. His duties will temporarily be assumed by Vice President of Finance Mary Hunt. MISCOR provides various mechanical and electrical services, including locomotive repair and remanufacturing services.

• RailComm Inc. has named Morelle Cheney business development manager, Midwest Region. He most recently was assistant territory manager in the western territory for RJ Corman Derailment Services L.L.C. Cheney previously held various management positions with Norfolk Southern Railway, CSX Transportation and Union Pacific Railroad, including assistant division superintendent and terminal superintendent.