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• Thales AG obtained a $143 million contract from China Railway Construction Corp. to provide a driverless train control and telecommunication systems for the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro project in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The 12-mile line will feature Thales’ SelTrac communications-based train control system. The line will be outfitted with automatic train protection by November 2010 and driverless train control by mid-2011. Thales will design, integrate, install, test and commission the train control and telecommunication systems.

• Knorr-Bremse won a $55 million contract to supply braking systems for trains and station platform screen doors for the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The company will provide complete braking systems for 17 12-car trains and doors for nine stations. The new metro will link the cities of Mecca, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah. The first of five new metro lines is scheduled to enter service in November 2010.

• Rail-car leasing firm Mitsui Rail Capital L.L.C. (MRC) has named Scott Carroll director of sales and marketing. He will be responsible for leading sales and marketing activities for the southwestern region of the United States as well as Mexico. Carroll most recently was regional manager of sales for a competing rail-car leasing company’s rail equipment group. MRC also provides fleet management and maintenance services.

• RailComm Inc. promoted Christopher Smith to business development manager. He has 30 years of electrical engineering experience and is well versed in the field of railroad technology through former and  present affiliations with Class Is and various short lines, RailComm said.

• Atlantic Track & Turnout Co. announced Senior Vice President Thomas Jones retired in April after 40 years of service with the company and about 50 years in the rail industry. He will continue to serve Atlantic Track in a limited capacity through December. Since joining the company in 1969, Jones has served as a salesperson, sales manager, director of marketing, vice president of operations, VP and SVP. He began his railroading career as a salesperson for Bethlehem Steel in Pittsburgh.