Rail supplier news from GB Railfreight, Akiem, Thales, SGS and RailState (Jan. 10)

GB Railfreight signed a new 10-year locomotive leasing deal with European rolling stock leasing company Akiem. Valued at 25 million pounds, the agreement calls for 11 Class 77 and Class 66 locomotives to be provided to operate across the company's intermodal, energy generation, infrastructure, waste, construction and rail services in the United Kingdom. All locomotives will be supplied by May 2024, with the first units expected to begin operating in summer 2023.

Thales signed two contracts with Metro de Santiago in Chile to design, install, test and commission a new operation control center and provide maintenance services for 10 years for the new Line 7. The center will command and supervise energy equipment and auxiliary systems, including elevators, escalators, lighting and ventilation at the line’s 19 new stations. The line is expected to begin passenger service by 2027, connecting the west side of Santiago to the east side and halving travel times. The maintenance contract will go into effect when the Line 7 is operational.

Global supply-chain consulting firm SGS Maine Pointe announced a partnership with RailState, which provides a comprehensive platform for real-time visibility of freight-rail network conditions, performance, priority and volume. Under the partnership, SGS customers will have access to end-to-end supply chain visibility and data. Shippers will be able to view data on velocity, train volume and mix, and commodity data, such as how many shipments are moving on the network and where they’re located.