Rail supplier updates from Bombardier, HNTB, Saft, Whitmore and Parsons (July 6)

Bombardier Transportation has signed two contracts with Transport for London to build and maintain 45 four-car electric multiple units (EMUs). The first contract is a manufacturing and supply agreement for the design, manufacture, commissioning and entry into service of the new vehicles. The second contract covers maintenance of the units for 35 years. The two agreements are valued at about $558 million.

Designed by HNTB Corp., the first stage of the San Onofre-to-Pulgas Double Track Project along the 351-mile Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor was opened recently. The initial phase is composed of 4.2 miles of double track running from San Onofre to Pulgas, Calif. HNTB provided final design work for stages one and two of the double-track project, which will add a total 5.8 miles of second mainline track within the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Saft obtained a $1.1 million contract to supply nickel-based onboard batteries for Alstom trains on the London Underground Northern Line. The batteries provide back-up power for radio, train control, passenger announcement, CCTV and other safety systems. Saft's back-up batteries also feature a low-height design to fit inside the battery compartments underneath the trains.

Robert McCreary joined Whitmore as international sales manager. Prior to joining the company, McCreary spent 21 years in maintenance management in the Powder River Basin and 16 years at Arch Coal's corporate office as director of technical and maintenance services. In his new role, he focus on expanding the company's presence in South Africa, India, Europe and Russia. McCreary has more than 35 years of field experience.

Parsons hired David Nichols as vice president and transportation program director. A former director of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), Nichols will now serve as a senior executive on major projects for Parsons, while also helping the company with relationship development in national and international strategic markets. He has more than 30 years of engineering experience with MoDOT, where he was responsible for a $2.2 billion budget as director.