Rail supplier news from PrecisionHawk, CHA, ADVA, Urban Engineers, Unity Alliance and Tealinc (Jan. 24)

PrecisionHawk named James Norrod chief executive officer to succeed Michael Chasen, who will continue to lead PrecisionHawk’s advisory board and chair the Federal Aviation Administration’s Drone Advisory Committee. Norrod has more than 25 years of experience leading companies in regulated industries. Previously, he served at CEO of Tellabs, Zhone Technologies, Segway, Telebit, Adage and Infinite Power Solutions. PrecisionHawk offers drone inspection, survey and training services for rail, energy and agriculture clients.

CHA Consulting Inc. has fully integrated and rebranded its recent acquisition Wolverton & Associates under the CHA brand. Wolverton & Associates was acquired in June 2019, adding about 100 employees with experience in transportation, traffic, land development and land surveying to the firm. Combining the firms has fueled growth in the Southeast and provided clients with a deeper bench of technical talent and expertise, CHA officials said in a press release. 

ADVA deployed its 5G-PICTURE solution across three stations on the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) rail network in Barcelona, Spain, marking the demonstration of Europe’s first 5G rail deployment in an operational environment. The demonstration delivered multigigabit per second connectivity to fast-moving trains using a combined optical and microwave transport solution, ADVA officials said in a press release.

Urban Engineers hired Mark Alisesky as senior project manager and mid-Atlantic regional marketer for rail and transit. Alisesky previously served as a national rail and transit market leader and regional service leader. He has more than 28 years of engineering experience, and has managed open end type contracts through Amtrak, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority and other rail clients, Urban Engineers officials said in a press release.

The Unity Alliance, a partnership made up of Jacobs, CPB Contractors, UGL Rail and AECOM, has been selected by the government of Queensland to design a 6.3-mile rail line in Brisbane, Australia. The work entails design and reconfiguration of the rail network at either end of a new cross city tunnel, installation of supporting rail systems, integration of the new Cross River rail line into Queensland Rail’s existing network and seven station upgrades, Jacobs officials said in a press release.

Tealinc Ltd. is accepting applications for its 2020 scholarship program. The program will award two $1,000 scholarships to a student enrolled, or in the process of being enrolled, in a two- or four-year college, technical or trade school. The scholarships are open to anyone, but preference will be given to students interested in working in an industry that raises, manufacturers or produces goods, provides services, or is involved in transporting goods, including through rail operations.