Rail supplier news from RailComm, Hanson, Holland and Loram (Dec. 17)

RailComm has completed the installation of a remote switch control system for 19 machines at the north end of a Class I yard in Jackson, Miss. The solution is designed to help avoid the manual operation of switch machines that can lead to injuries. The solution also will help the efficiency of the yard's north end, RailComm officials said in a press release. Switch location control will be provided via RailComm's Domain Operations Controller (DOC®) system.

The Tanana River Bridge in Salcha, Alaska, has been selected as a finalist for the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement award. Hanson Professional Services Inc. designed the 3,300-foot-long bridge, one of six finalists for the ASCE honor. The bridge is the first phase of the Alaska Railroad Corp.'s Northern Rail Extension, a project that will create an 80-mile railway between North Pole and Delta Junction, Alaska. The 20-span bridge was built for $187 million and was delivered on time with a three-year construction schedule.

Holland LP's Railway Measurement Systems and Services (RMSS) business unit on Nov. 17 marked its 1,000th day without injury. The RMSS team has now gone nearly three consecutive years without a recordable injury, company officials said. The unit is composed of a fleet of TrackSTAR® vehicles that provide track measurements services and assessment data to railroads throughout North America.

Loram Maintenance of Way Inc. has appointed Brad Willems chief financial officer. Willems will be responsible for corporate accounting, tax and information technology. He also will oversee the friction management business unit, Loram officials said in a press release. Willems joined the firm in 2012 as director of marketing and business development and has since taken on leadership of Loram's North American sales efforts and oversight of the acquisition and integration of the friction management business. Before joining Loram, he was a certified public accountant for McGladrey and Pullen. Meanwhile, Loram has promoted Jon Behrens to director, chief engineers within the company's engineering group, and Vennie Dyavanapalli to director, friction management.