Rail supplier updates from Timken, Amsted, Alstom, REMSA, VTG and Holland (March 26)

The Timken Co. and United Wagon Co. have agreed to form a joint venture to manufacture Timken® AP-2™ rail bearings in Russia. The joint venture is contingent upon various regulatory approvals and other commercial and customary conditions. Also, Trinity announced Dunia Shive has been elected to its board, expanding its directors from nine to 10. From 2008 to 2013, Shive was chief executive officer and president of Belo Corp.

Amsted RPS recently installed more than 1,000 Loadmaster impact-reducing tie plates on a Class I's bridge in Hinton, Alberta. The project involved Amsted's newest resilient fastener, the Loadmaster TT for use on timber ties, according to a company press release. "The new product moved from the drawing board to manufacturing in less than 90 days as a result of our in house lab and internal FEA capabilities," said Jose Mediavilla, Amsted RPS' director of engineering.

The French Public Rail Safety organization has authorized Alstom's Régiolis train for commercial use. The Régiolis is the latest generation of regional train from the Coradia range. An important milestone, the authorization opens the way for the trains to enter operational service on April 22, according to an Alstom press release.

The 2014 REMSA Scholarship Program is now available. The deadline for undergraduate and graduate scholarship applications is June 30. In addition to awarding two $5,000 undergraduate REMSA President's Scholarships and five individual $2,000 scholarships, REMSA has added a $5,000 Graduate Student Scholarship in 2014. For more information, go to www.remsa.org/scholarship.

VTG AG reported its group revenue rose 2.2 percent to about $1 billion in fiscal-year 2013. Net income rose by 66.3 percent compared with the previous fiscal year. The year's focus was on the joint venture with Kuehne + Nagel in the Rail Logistics Division, company officials said in a press release. "In the Rail Logistics Division, the joint venture has enabled us to create the prerequisite for a rail logistics network spanning throughout Europe for an even wider array of solutions,” said Chief Executive Officer Heiko Fischer. Also, in June, Gunter-Friedrich Maas will become an executive board member for logistics and safety, the company announced.

Holland L.P. recently completed a special welding project for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a subcontractor to E.P. Doyle for expansion on the electric fish barrier located in the I&M Shipping Canal in Romeoville, Ill. Holland modified their Welder Head typically used to flash-butt weld rail together to produce the new barrier. Holland completed the welding project within two weeks.