Rail supplier news from Greenbrier, R&R Contracting, TUV Rheinland, Holland and Parsons Brinckerhoff (June 19)

The Greenbrier Cos. Inc. announced its first awards from multiple customers for construction of 3,500 units of its new "Tank Car of the Future." The awards, along with other honors for 4,200 rail cars across a full range of car types, bring aggregate awards to 7,700 cars valued at more than $960 million since May 21, Greenbrier officials said in a press release. The company also disclosed there is strong interest from multiple customers in the retrofit of pre-2011 tank cars currently operating in flammable commodity service. Greenbrier expects that GBW Railcar Services — its recently announced repair, refurbishment and maintenance joint venture with Watco Cos. — will benefit from substantial maintenance and retrofit awards when the joint venture begins operating later this year, company officials said.

Last week marked the first time in more than 20 years that a train crossed the border at the Northgate, N.D./ Northgate, Saskatchewan, crossing, according to R&R Contracting. BNSF has begun transporting materials across the border for Phase II construction on the new Ceres Global transload facility. Managed by Engineered Rail Solutions L.L.C. and constructed in a joint effort by Swift Rail Services and R&R Contracting, the facility will be one of the first and biggest multi-commodity facilities in Canada, R&R Contracting officials said in a press release.

TUV Rheinland appointed David Haataja senior vice president of products in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has more than 35 years of business development and operations leadership experience. His career includes four years working with regulatory agencies, trade associations, the Department of Congress and as a U.S. trade representative. Most recently, he was chief executive officer and executive director of the Water Quality Association.

Holland L.P. recently received TTX Co.'s Excellent Supplier designation based on its overall Supplier Evaluation Committee score. Holland has received the recognition 18 times. The designation recognizes the company's commitment to customer satisfaction and product excellence. The evaluation process reviews five categories of performance: quality, cost, delivery, service and service/administration.

Parsons Brinckerhoff named Robert Coward a senior supervising engineer in the Lawrenceville, N.J. office. he will provide construction management support for the New Jersey High-Speed Rail Improvement Program, also known as the Raceway program, which involves upgrades to the Northeast Corridor between Trenton and South Brunswick. The firm also named Andrew Garton civil manager for Colorado and Wyoming to manage the civil engineering group in the Denver office. He will be responsible for overall project management, delivery of engineering services and quality control. Garton joined the firm in July 2013.