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• Axion International Holdings Inc. announced its first tie purchase order for New Zealand’s Kiwi Rail is being shipped. The plastic composite ties are the railroad’s first order of Axion’s ECOTRAX® line, and will be installed in turnout switch-sets and open-deck bridges, company officials said in a prepared statement. The order is being fulfilled through Axion’s distribution agreement covering Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

• FreightCar America Inc. reported first-quarter net income of $9.7 million, or 81 cents per diluted share, compared with a net loss of 1.3 million, or 11 cents per share, in first-quarter 2011. Revenue increased to $219.1 million from $72.2 million a year ago. Also during the quarter, the company delivered 2,613 rail cars (of which 2,146 were new), up from 875 cars delivered in the same period a year ago. There were 1,244 units ordered during the quarter, down from 4,027 units ordered in first-quarter 2011.

• The European Patent Office has nominated Austrian engineer and inventor Josef Theurer to be recognized in the lifetime achievement category of the European Inventor Awards (EIA), Plasser & Theurer officials announced. During his career, Theurer filed for 1,050 patent families while establishing “one of the most successful international companies” in Austria, company officials said. Plasser & Theurer has applied for about 10,000 patents, of which more than 2,000 are still in force; Theurer was the key figure behind the inventions, they said. Among his inventions: the first hydraulically operated track tamping machine and other types of tamping machines. The EIA ceremony will be held June 14.