Rail supplier updates from Tutor Perini, Appalachian Rail, Sasser Family, SMBC Rail and NRC (May 14)

Tutor Perini Corp. was awarded two contracts worth $123 million to perform work on rail projects for MTA Capital Construction in New York City. Tutor Perini subsidiary Five Star Electric obtained a $90 million subcontract from GCT Constructors JV to provide lighting, electrical service and general power work at Grand Central Terminal as part of the East Side Access Project. The subsidiary also obtained a $33 million subcontract from Judlau Contracting Inc. to perform electrical work and restoration at the Cortlandt Street Station.

Appalachian Railcar Services' subsidiary Rail Connection Inc. formed a joint venture with ITE Management LP to acquire, lease and operate rail cars. Rail Connection LLC initially will own almost 2,000 rail cars, and is acquiring more cars to grow the business and asset base, company officials said in a press release. Kurt Higginbotham will serve as the president of the joint venture, in addition to continuing as vice president of Rail Connection Inc.

Sasser Family Holdings, which owns Chicago Freight Car Leasing Co., hired Robin Wolkoff as its new chief legal officer. She will be responsible for the directing internal legal matters and alignment of third-party legal resources for the company, Sasser officials said in a press release. Reporting directly to the chief executive officer, she also will serve as a strategic adviser to the senior executive team.

SMBC Rail Services LLC hired Kevin Wingate as vice president of leasing for the southwest region. Wingate brings 15 years of rail industry experience to the job. SMBC also added Jonathan Mudronja as VP of leasing for the Midwest territory and George Abraham as its new controller. Previously working with Sumitomo/Standard Steel, Mudronja has seven years of experience working in rail, while Abraham comes to SBMC after working for Motorola Corp.

U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) last week met with representatives from Georgetown Rail Equipment Co. (GREX) and the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) for the debut of GREX's Aurora Xi™ rail inspection technology. While there, Carter met with GREX President and Chief Executive Officer William Shell, VP of Engineering Greg Grissom and other members of the company's staff. Aurora Xi is designed to utilize backscatter X-ray technology to uncover flaws in individual ties, NRC officials said in a statement.