Rail supplier news from ECN, Wi-Tronix, Hub Group, and Kontron (Aug. 11)

ECN Capital Corp. has agreed to sell $1.487 million worth of rail-car assets to affiliates of ITE Management LP and Napier Park Global Capital. The ITE transaction closed Aug. 4, and ECN expects the Napier Park deal to close in third-quarter 2017. The assets sold represent 65 percent of ECN's rail portfolio. The sale will further position ECN to capitalize on strategic growth opportunities and free up $400 million of capital, said ECN Chief Executive Officer Jim Nikopoulos in a press release.

Wi-Tronix LLC yesterday announced that it will provide its advanced video analytics solution Violet™ to Ferrocarril Mexicano S.A. de C.V. (Ferromex). The technology provides streaming video and associated data to railroads through a cloud-based Software-as-a-Service solution. Violet is aimed at helping railroads improve their operational efficiency and safety. For Ferromex, the technology's camera system will help further ensure the safety of the railroad's crew and security of its assets and cargo, Wi-Tronix officials said in a press release.

Hub Group has launched the Hub Group Connect tool, which provides customers with shipment visibility and online tracking capabilities from any device. The platform aggregates data from the company's more than 33,000 satellite-tracked intermodal containers, as well as its truckling fleet and network of truckload carriers, according to a Hub Group press release. Once users log in, they can track shipments for any mode of transportation, submit rate requests, book new shipments and set up automatic load status updates via text or email. The tool also provides access to resources such as white papers, industry news and national weather alerts.

CSiT's TRANSIS®-Train communications system has entered a qualification trial with MTA New York City Transit (NYCT). The system is powered by Kontron's TRACe™ transportation computing products. The loan agreement trial is designed to test and validate TRANSIS-Train's multimodal integrated communications capabilities in an operational setting, Kontron officials said in a press release. The system can be used for purposes such as public addresses, passenger "infotainment" systems, and passenger information on LED displays. TRANSIS-Train is installed on a four-car train from NYCT's R68 fleet.