Rail supplier news from RailWorks, Pyrotek, dFuzion, ENSCO, RATP Dev and WSP (Sept. 26)

RailWorks Corp. has finalized an agreement to acquire steel-tie manufacturer NARSTCO, which employs about 90 people at its U.S. facilities. NARSTCO will continue to operate independently and work with its current customer base, which includes end users, contractors and engineering firms. In addition, Anthony Musa will continue to serve as NARSTCO's chief executive officer, RailWorks officials said in a press release. The acquisition's financial terms were not disclosed.

Pyrotek is adding equipment and ramping up production of acoustic thermal products at its plant in Cortland, New York. The effort is aimed at complementing the company's global manufacturing footprint and providing value-add services for rail, marine and industrial customers in the Americas, said Kevin Bacon, manager of Pyrotek's U.S. acoustic and thermal sales team, in a news release. Pyrotek's offerings include vibration damping and isolation products, as well as sound absorbers, noise barriers and condensation control solutions.

The Utah Transit Authority has chosen dFuzion Inc.'s rMetrix® ultraportable ride performance assessment system for ride quality monitoring of the agency's rail lines. The system incorporates GPS and accelerometer sensors to assess ride quality, comfort and safety, according to a dFuzion press release. Using rMetrix, inspectors can monitor, collect and analyze geospatially correlated ride quality data and make safety and maintenance recommendations in real time. In addition, companies and agencies can analyze and correlate ride data over time and geography to determine trends.

ENSCO Rail announced it is sponsoring the beCamp tech conference at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The event is free and open to anyone interested in technology, according to an ENSCO press release. The so-called "unconference" revolves around an agenda that's set by attendees the first night, with presentations and roundtable discussions led by participants. ENSCO is sponsoring the event to support the community of software developers and engineers, company officials said in a press release.

RATP Dev USA has deployed the SmartDrive® video program to improve transit safety and support its drive2zero™ safety management system. RATP Dev USA opted to bypass a pilot program and immediately deploy the video-based safety and analytics solution across all its contracted agencies. The product also will ensure adherence with the requirements of the Federal Transit Administration's safety management system requirements, company officials said in a press release. RATP Dev USA chose the product after a review of competitive systems and cited the quality of events captured with the SmartDrive system.

WSP USA has named Patti Boekamp vice president and transportation area manager in San Diego. She will work with the firm's regional leadership team on civic engagement, client relations and business development strategy. Boekamp also will oversee the civil/highways, planning/environment, drainage, traffic and structures departments.