Rail supplier news from Lat-Lon, Trinity, Tata Steel, CIT, Jacobs, WAGO, Amsted and Cubic (Jan. 31)

Lat-Lon L.L.C., in partnership with New York Air Brake (NYAB), has executed a large contract for smart car and locomotive monitoring devices for Etihad Rail in the United Arab Emirates. The project called for equipping 240 sulfur cars with 13 individual wireless sensors per car reporting to a newly developed receiver logic unit. Data produced from the Lat-Lon system is routed through NYAB's Smart Car Sensor Hub and into the electronically controlled pneumatic brake communications/power cable. The last delivery was completed in September 2013, with full execution scheduled this month, according to a Lat-Lon press release.

Trinity Industries Inc.'s subsidiary closed the sale of the second tranche of leased rail cars to Element Financial Corp. under the newly formed $2 billion strategic rail-car alliance announced in December. Trinity will not have any remaining ownership interest in the leased cars sold to Element. Trinity Industries Leasing Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trinity, will service the sold cars.

Tata Steel has obtained a two-year contract to supply track to French rail operator SNCF. The contract calls for Tata Steel to provide the majority of SNCF's rail requirements in lengths of up to 118 yards from its plant in Hayange, France.

CIT Group Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2013 net income decreased to $130 million, or 65 cents per diluted share, compared with net income of $207 million, or $1.03 per diluted share a year ago. The quarter included items that reduced net income, the largest of which was the Tyco Tax Agreement settlement for which the company recorded a $45 million charge, CIT officials said in a press release. Net income for the full year was $676 million, or $3.35 per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $592 million, or $2.95 per diluted share, in 2012, which included $1.5 billion of debt redemption charges.

Jacobs Associates recently expanded its Midwest operations with a new office in St. Louis. The office will allow the firm to provide services more efficiently to clients requiring tunneling and underground expertise throughout the central United States. Senior Associate Wayne Lindsay, who joined the firm in December 2013, will head the office.
 
WAGO Corp. named Steve Greene North Central zone manager for Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. Prior to joining WAGO, Greene worked in sales management, product management and customer service at Lenze Americas Corp.

Amsted Rail Product Solutions named Martin Wilson transit sales manager. He will be responsible for managing sales and marketing activities in the Eastern U.S. for transit agencies and affiliates.

Cubic Transportation Systems was recognized for "making life easier" for Sussex, England, commuters on the London-to-Brighton route. Recognizing its work with Southern Railway's "the key" ITSO travel card, Cubic was named as the "Best Smartcard Ticketing Service" provider at the 2014 MasterCard Transport Ticketing Awards, according a Cubic announcement.