Rail supplier news from Keolis, FRA, DMI, Bourque Logistics and Alstom (June 25)

Keolis has launched its first North American light-rail operation in the Waterloo region of Ontario, Canada. As part of the GrandLinq Consortium, Keolis’ local subsidiary Keolis Grand River will operate nearly 10-mile light-rail for the next 10 years, and maintenance for the next 30 years.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) partnered with DMI to launch an app-based inspection system designed to replace handwritten notes and outdated palm devices used to gather defect data. The Portable Inspection Reporting Tool (PIRT) uses voice recognition software to allow inspectors to do their job hands-free, and artificial intelligence to reference the FRA’s extensive database on railway problems, according to a press release.

Bourque Logistics has completed an exclusive license of the volume correction (VCF) source code from Quartz Precision Software LLC. Bourque will also package the VCF technology with its tank-car outage table database, which Bourque provides its YardMaster clients electronic access to. Further, Bourque will work with Industrial Networks LLC (INet) to provide the enhanced VCF process directly into the field, via INet's YardMaster Mobile mobile, AEI-scanning tablets, according to a Bourque press release.

Alstom has received a nearly $39.5 million order from Ostdeutsche Eisenbahn for eight Coradia Lint regional trains. The trains will be delivered in the second half of 2022 and will start operation on the German Netz Elbe Spree regional-rail service in December 2022, according to an Alstom press release.