Rail supplier updates from Parsons Brinckerhoff, The Andersons, Kawasaki, SYSTRA and UNITRAC (May 10)

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has awarded a two-year, $120 million contract extension to Parsons Brinckerhoff for program management services for the California high-speed rail project. The firm has served as the project's program manager since 2006 and is assisting the authority with all aspects, including planning, environmental review, preliminary engineering, and testing and commissioning.

The Andersons Inc. announced yesterday that it has completed construction on a new 27,300-square-foot rail-car paint plant in Maumee, Ohio. The new full-service facility will provide a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to clean and paint rail cars, according to a company press release. The Andersons also recently reported first-quarter net income of $12.6 million, or 67 cents per diluted share, compared with $18.4 billion, or 98 cents per diluted share, in the same period a year ago. Revenue for the quarter increased to $1.3 billion compared with $1.1 billion a year ago. The Rail Group posted record first-quarter operating income of $14.6 million on revenue of $46 million, compared with operating income of $8 million on revenue of $36 million in first-quarter 2012. The group's revenue and income benefited from higher lease rates and increased income from car financings, according to a company press release.

Kawasaki Rail Car Inc. officials were joined by state and transportation officials yesterday to mark 25 years of manufacturing rail cars in Yonkers, N.Y. More than 2,500 cars have been produced at the plant, which is located in the heart of the Northeast Corridor, according to a company press release. The plant has manufactured trains and component parts for MTA New York City Transit, MTA Long Island Rail Road, MTA Metro-North Railroad, Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corp., Connecticut Department of Transportation, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Maryland Transit Administration and the Department of Transit Systems in Taipei City, Taiwan.

SYSTRA has promoted Joseph Sais to executive vice president, engineering. In his new post, he will oversee the firm's U.S.-based infrastructure, traction power, systems, and construction management and program management sectors. Sais has more than 40 years of senior level management experience in transit and railroad operations. Prior to joining SYSTRA, he served MTA Long Island Rail Road for 33 years.

UNITRAC Railroad Materials Inc. has named Blair Weaver regional sales manager. He will cover sales in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Weaver has more than six years of industry sales experience.