Rail Supplier news from Wabtec, Ondas, Miller Ingenuity, HDR and Alstom

Wabtec Corp. recently marked the 1,000th locomotive modernization the company has completed in North and South America. The milestone unit was delivered to Norfolk Southern Railway, which accounts for 500 of the 1,000 locomotives Wabtec has modernized. The locomotive work helps NS decrease emissions and meet sustainability targets, Wabtec officials said in a press release. The modernizations improve fuel efficiency up to 25%, boost reliability more than 40%, increase haulage ability up to 55%, and reduce maintenance, repair and overhaul expenses up to 20%, they said.

Ondas Holdings Inc. recently announced it completed the acquisition of American Robotics Inc., which develops automated commercial drone systems. American Robotics was the first company approved by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate its drones beyond a visual line of sight without an on-site human operator. The combination of the two companies will serve users in rail, agriculture, utilities and critical infrastructure markets with improved connectivity and data collection capabilities, Ondas Holdings officials said in a press release. About 99.7 percent of Ondas shareholders voted in favor of the acquisition.

Koppers Inc. has contracted Miller Ingenuity to supply its ZoneGuard yard protection system for Koppers’ plant in Somerville, Texas. The ZoneGuard system is a new extension within Miller Ingenuity’s ZoneGuard electronic RWP product line. The system uses the train detection technologies and setup from the ZoneGuard fixed system to warn workers within a rail yard of any incoming track vehicles or cars being pushed into the facility, Miller Ingenuity officials said in a press release. Train detectors determine if track vehicles are entering or exiting a facility.

HDR has acquired WRECO, a civil engineering, environmental compliance, geotechnical engineering and water resources planning firm based in Walnut Creek, California. The acquired company now will conduct business as HDR | WRECO. The services provided by WRECO cover rail and transit, bridges and roadways, floodplains, stormwater management, wetland restoration and other areas. The two firms have worked together for more than 20 years on such projects as the 7th Street grade separation for the Alameda County Transportation Commission. WRECO is the second California-based firm that HDR has acquired in 2021, following the June purchase of WKE.

Alstom has won a framework contract from Italy’s Trenitalia to provide 150 Coradia Stream regional trains. The single-deck, bi-directional and 3kV electric trainsets are designed to reach a maximum speed of 105 mph and will be equipped with onboard ERTMS, guaranteeing the highest European safety standards, Alstom officials said in a press release. Coradia Stream is a range of low-floor and high-performance electric multiple units designed for regional and intercity lines. The trainsets will be built at Alstom's plants in Bologna, Savigliano and Sesto San Giovanni, Italy.