Rail First Asset Management has appointed Beata Lipman as CEO. She joined the Australian wagon manufacturing and leasing company in July as Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer. ‘In her relatively short time with the business, Beata has identified growth opportunities to partner with key customers and capitalise on our local intermodal wagon manufacturing and maintenance capabilities’, said Rail First Chair David Irwin when she took up the role on December 7.
Poland’s Centralny Port Komunikacyjny has signed a memorandum of understanding to work with Spanish infrastructure manager ADIF to develop a high speed rail network in Poland. Plans include joint training programmes focused on market liberalisation, and study visits to explore topics such as track installation, signalling and telecoms modernisation and 2x25 kV traction power systems.
Kentucky-based signalling and communications supplier TCR Rail Systems has been acquired by Rail Investments in a transaction facilitated by RR Mergers & Acquisitions. Chris Ramey will remain as President and Tom Ramey as COO.
Passengera has launched its AP+ antenna with integrated WiFi-6E access point developed in co-operation with Antonics for on-train connectivity and infotaiment applications. It has a compact design and does not require coaxial cabling for basic installation.
Ticket retailing platform supplier Rail Europe has added a Multi-Providers feature to its RailPortal, RailFlash and RailAPI business-to-business booking tools, enabling users to combine legs of a trip with multiple operators. ‘This innovative feature is poised to simplify the booking workflow, save valuable time, and, ultimately, encourage more individuals to choose rail travel’, said CEO Björn Bender.
TMH Tver‘s Ivolga 4.0 EMU has passed acceptance testing and been certificated as compliant with Customs Union requirements, enabling the start of series production. ’The production of such an innovative train is important not only for our passengers, but also for the whole country’, said Maksim Liksutov, Moskva’s Deputy Mayor for Transport. ‘Ivolga is created from elements that are produced at domestic enterprises.’
Wabtec has received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023-24 Corporate Equality Index, which benchmarks corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality.
Australia’s Inland Rail project promoter reports that it has now upskilled nearly 400 local businesses to work on major projects at over 200 workshops and mentoring sessions held over the last four years, with nearly 60 of these businesses being owned by people from First Nations communities. Inland Rail has also provided training to 374 local people, 142 of whom are from First Nations communities, with 200 completing civil construction courses and 50 completing rail industry courses. University scholarships have been provided to 24 undergraduates, and 1 000 First Nations students from 15 schools have taken part in training delivered with the Clontarf Foundation. A further 10 000 pupils from nearly 450 schools have taken part in STEM on Track events.