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The Vossloh Group is bolstering its growth in the South American market by acquiring a 100 percent stake in Brazil-based rail-switch manufacturer Metalurgica Barros Monteiro Ltda (MBM) and setting up a consortium for building a rail-switch plant in Argentina, Vossloh officials announced in a press release. MBM supplies switches, turnouts and components, as well manganese frogs for switches and crossings. In Argentina, Vossloh and the national rail infrastructure authority ADIF SE formed a consortium to build a switch plant at La Plata, near Buenos Aires. Vossloh's stake in the new plant, which is slated to come on line later this year, is 51 percent.

L. B. Foster Co. has named James Tanner general manager-Rail Technologies and Robert Docherty, head of business development-Rail Technologies UK Ltd. in the United Kingdom. To be based in Pittsburgh, Tanner will be responsible for directing all U.S. activities of the Rail Technologies business. He joined the company in 2004 as sales and marketing manager for the Precise Structural Products business. To be based in Sheffield, U.K., Docherty will be responsible for managing business development in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has experience in the steel industry in the United Kingdom and France, ultimately focusing on the rail sector.

GE Transportation contracted consulting firm Ricardo to oversee and validate back-to-back locomotive tests to demonstrate the fuel efficiency of GE's Class 70 locomotive versus a Class 66 locomotive. The tests demonstrated fuel savings of 18 percent for the Class 70 locomotive, which is equipped with GE's four-stroke PowerHaul® engine. The Class 66 locomotive currently is used for 87 percent of freight-rail movements in Great Britain. In March 2012, Ricardo reported results of a study it carried out for the United Kingdom's Department for Transport that assessed a range of technology packages that could be applied to the Class 66 locomotive to improve its fuel efficiency.

TranSystems has named David Maas senior vice president and Bruce Anderson, assistant vice president. Maas has served the company for seven years and is a leader in the firm's rail market sector, working with Class Is, passenger agencies, ports and rail-served industrial clients. Anderson has worked with TranSystems for nine years. He manages the Houston office and is a leader for its rail team. He has worked with Class Is, regionals, short lines and public clients.