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• Recycled plastic composite crosstie supplier Axion International announced that independent transportation industry analyst and Progressive Railroading columnist Tony Hatch has joined its board. Hatch, who launched his independent consulting firm in 1999, has been a senior transportation analyst on Wall Street for more than 20 years, including stints with Salomon Brothers, Argus Research, PaineWebber and NatWest Markets (USA).

• A “major western railroad” will add RailComm’s Blue Flag Indicator (BFI) system to its facility, according to a press release issued by RailComm. The company will provide six BFI systems, which will be positioned in pairs at three track locations. The systems will enable the railroad to apply blue flag protection to two fueling tracks through a centrally located field control panel, according to RailComm.

• Thales announced it will deploy new access control gates nationwide for Dutch railway Nederlandse Spoorwegen. Through a contract extension, the company will supply and install the gates and other peripheral equipment, such as emergency doors and fixed barriers. Beginning in mid-2011, 65 of the Netherlands’ busiest stations will be equipped with the gates, according to Thales.

• The Timken Co. has named Russell Folger vice president of quality advancement to succeed Donna Demerling, who plans to retire at year’s end. Folger has served as director of global quality since 2007. He joined Timken in 1979 as a sales engineer, and later held such positions as chief engineer and VP of engineering for automotive markets. Timken provides various friction management products, including bearings, to the rail industry.