Rail supplier news from Bombardier, Thales, AXION, Alstom, Napier and Kiewit (Sept. 11)

Bombardier Transportation, as the lead member of a consortium with Azerbaijani railway construction and installation company Trans-Signal-Rabita Ltd., has obtained its first signaling order from Azerbaijan Railways CJSC on the international Kars-Baku transport corridor connecting Asia and Europe. Bombardier's share of the contract is valued at $203 million.

Thales has obtained a contract from Hong Kong's metro operator, MTR Corp., to signal the first-phase segment of the Shatin-to-Central Link (SCL) using a communications-based train control system. The contract includes modernization of the Ma On Shan Line and West Rail Line to establish a fully automatic train operation. The SCL project will connect several existing rail lines to form two rail corridors.

AXION International Holdings Inc. received its first order for Ecotrax® ties in Russia. The ties will be shipped to Russia and installed in track with a major transit line later this years. The ties were sold to AXION's in-country distributor and business partner, TVEMA, an international group of companies based in Moscow. AXION has been working with TVEMA to create composite-tie standards and specifications for Russia.

Alstom and Transmashholding (TMH) are presenting their jointly developed locomotives, the 2ES5 for Russia and KZ8A for Kazakhstan, at the International Rail Salon of Engineering and Technologies Expo 1520, which is being held in Moscow this week.

Napier Park Global Capital has held a final closing of Napier Park Railcar Lease Fund L.L.C., a $370 million specialized, single-purpose private equity fund, with an additional direct co-investment of $50 million from a fund limited partner. The Railcar Lease Fund partnered with Trinity Industries Inc. to create RIV 2013 Rail Holdings L.L.C., a joint venture to invest in leased rail cars. The fund's capital, along with a direct co-investment from a fund limited partner and capital from Trinity Industries Leasing Co., also was used to recapitalized TRIP Rail Holdings L.L.C., an existing joint venture that owns a pool of leased rail cars. As of June 30, the combined entities owned a total portfolio of rail cars on lease to industrial shippers and railroads worth $1.5 billion.

Kiewit has named Lance Wilhelm senior vice president of its Hawaii operations. Wilhelm will continue to play a significant role in the company's construction of the Honolulu Rail Transit system, as well as handle lead market, industry, operations and community involvement for Kiewit in Hawaii. Formerly an area manager, Wilhelm was in charge of the firm's Hawaii vertical building operations.