Rail supplier news from Tiger Cool, American Trainco, Thales, TUV, Parsons Brinckerhoff and Jacobs (Oct. 24)

Three transportation and intermodal industry executives have launched Tiger Cool Express, a rail intermodal cool-cargo service targeting fresh produce. The three founders, each of whom has more than 30 years of rail and intermodal experience, are Thomas Finkbinder, who will serve as Tiger Cool Express' chief executive officer; Theodore Prince, who will become chief operating officer; and C. Thomas Shurstad, who will serve as chief commercial officer. The middle mid-market private equity fund of Tiger Infrastructure Partners provided funding for business and equipment orders. Tiger Cool expects to enter revenue service by early spring 2014.

PTA Holdings Inc. has entered the intermodal transportation rail segment through American Trainco Logistics (ATL), a new wholly owned subsidiary. "ATL will acquire over-the-road freight brokers and intermodal rail brokers that will accelerate the growth of the company and enable the development of enough freight volume to negotiate and hold direct railroad contracts," said PTA Chief Executive Officer Leonard Lewensohn in a press release. The new company will be based in Chicago. ATL also plans to locate offices in Los Angeles and St. Louis.

Thales obtained a maintenance contract for the intermodal compensation system of the Barik transport card in Bizkaia in northern Spain. The project will cover maintenance of the central management system's software, and equipment and applications of the points of sale. Thales developed the card's administration and management system, as well as the application for the customer service offices.

TUV Rheinland has named David Leers chief financial officer for North America. Leers has more than 20 years of experience in financial development and building partnerships between operations and finance. Prior to his new post, he served as CFO and controller, North America, at SDL International.

Charles Hall has been named a senior technical manager in the New York City office of Parsons Brinckerhoff. Hall has more than 24 years of experience in construction, startup, testing and  maintenance of rail/transit systems and process plants. Prior to joining the firm, he was director of construction for a New York electrical contractor; worked for Parson Brinckerhoff's London office on a major rail modernization program; and held engineering positions at Amtrak and MTA New York City Transit.

Jacobs Associates has appointed John Kaplin and Judy Cochran to the firm's new construction management division, Jacobs Associates Construction Managers. Kaplin, who joined the Boston office as a senior associate, has more than 25 years of construction management experience in the water/wastewater and renewable energy markets. Cochran, who joined the Seattle office as a lead associate, has 25 years of construction management experience, primarily on large wastewater projects.