Rail supplier news from Hitachi, Hatch, LTK, AECOM, Thales and Ensco (Nov. 2)

Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Rail STS SpA and Mitsubishi Corp. have signed an $883 million contract with HPH Consortium, the prime contractor for Panama Metro’s Line 3 in Panama City. Under the contract, Hitachi and Hitachi Rail will provide 28 six-car vehicles (168 cars), the signaling systems, telecommunication systems, power systems, control center, platform screen doors and depot equipment for the monorail. Mitsubishi will manage the project's administration. Line 3 is a 15.5-mile, elevated double-track system that will cross over the Panama Canal. It will include 14 stations and open in 2025, Hitachi officials said in a press release.

Hatch completed its merger with LTK. The integration of Hatch and LTK will allow Hatch to broaden its U.S. capabilities and deliver solutions to clients globally, Hatch officials said in a press release. LTK’s focus on rail and rail systems combined with Hatch’s integrated, multidisciplinary transportation expertise will provide clients with comprehensive options across the entire supply chain and lifecycle of their operations, officials said. AEC Advisors initiated the merger transaction and served as the financial advisor to Hatch.

AECOM named Antonino Marino associate vice president and senior program manager, and Anthony Chionchio AVP and senior electrical technical leader. Marino and Chionchio will be focus on major transportation infrastructure projects and programs across the New York region. Previously, Marino served as deputy chief of design for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). Chionchio previously served as PANYNJ’s chief electrical engineer. 

SNCF Reseau in France tasked the Argos innovation partnership with upgrading and developing pre-series production signal interlockings. The interlockings are scheduled for commissioning at the end of 2023. The Argos partnership is made up of Thales, Engine Solutions, Vossloh, Alstom, Hitachi Rail, Eiffage Energie SAS and Systra.

The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced it will continue a program to evaluate public safety awareness technologies. As part of the program, Ensco Inc. and a research team from the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research and TrueSafety Evaluation LLC will identify emerging technologies that may mitigate inherent risks to pedestrians and trespassers in railroad, transit and highway transportation systems. Ensco also is identifying testbeds that can be used to evaluate candidate technologies, produce a streamlined test protocol and develop strategies for implementing technologies nationwide. The initiative is a collaboration among PHMSA, the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.