Alstom and image analysis specialist Flox have received a SKr3·3m grant from Swedish innovation agency Vinnova to test technology which identifies animals approaching railways and uses sound signals tailored for different species to deter them from the track to prevent collisions. Field tests will be carried out this autumn and winter.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway tri-state joint venture officially opened an office in Bishkek to support the development of the project on September 30.
Alternative asset management firm LongWater’s Cypress Rail Solutions has made its first acquisition, covering wagon maintenance assets of Northern Plains Rail Services including sites in North Dakota and Minnesota. Cypress said it plans to build a significant wagon services platform through additional expansion and investment. ‘The rail services industry is underserved in the upper Midwest and we see tremendous opportunity to deliver a differentiated solution’, said Neil West, Senior Managing Director at LongWater, on October 2.
UIC has published its second Global Rail Sustainability Report, intended as a comprehensive resource for understanding the sector’s progress towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals. Key insights include performance metrics from the Rail Sustainability Index which tracks the efforts of railways in areas such as energy efficiency, emission reduction and sustainable practices. ‘UIC is in the privileged position of being able to collate information from its members, shedding light on the action being taken in rail to ensure that train travel remains the cleanest and greenest mode of mass transport’, said UIC Director General François Davenne. ‘This report highlights the progress made by the sector and inspires collaboration to accelerate our journey towards a more sustainable future.’
Consilium Safety Group has agreed to acquire Ingegneria dei Sistemi Elettronici, an Italian supplier of fire detection and suppression equipment for rolling stock. The deal ‘strengthens our innovation capabilities and expertise in advanced rolling stock safety technologies certified to operate in the most regulated and demanding environments, while significantly broadening our market reach’, said Philip Isell Lind af Hageby, CEO of Consilium Safety Group, on September 26.
Automation specialist Friedrich Lütze GmbH, the railway technology company Lütze Transportation and all other companies of the Lütze Group in Europe and China were acquired by Amphenol Corp on October 1. The US members of the Lütze Group were previously acquired in July 2024. Martin Teufel will retire as CEO of Friedrich Lütze by Q1 2025, with CEO of Lütze Transportation Dimitrios Koutrouvis succeeding him.
Alstom has opened an office in Philadelphia to support projects in the area and throughout the Northeast Corridor. ‘Pennsylvania has a robust transportation economy and we’re eager to build and deliver the next generation of efficient, sustainable, forward-looking transportation solutions in the Keystone State’, said Noah Heulitt, Operational Performance Vice-President Americas.
Swiss Federal Railways has awarded Tesmec Rail a contract to supply its bogie-mounted Sisvision system for the detection of track anomalies.
Hitachi Rail launched its fifth annual Environmental, Social & Governance report at InnoTrans in Berlin. It has achieved a 14% reduction of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, almost three times its target for FY23, driven by the increasing use of energy from renewable sources and through the purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates. It hired over 1 500 new employees and achieved an increase in female representation in senior positions, with a 7% increase at the executive level and a 10% increase in middle management. It also obtained ISO 30415 Certification on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
GCF Track Services has joined the executive committee of the US High Speed Rail Association. Italian company GCF entered the North American rail market in 2019 and has a US subsidiary Lone Star Railroad Contractors and Canadian subsidiary Platinum Track Services.
Johan Elveros has been appointed CFO of Railcare Group from January 2025. He joins from Boliden Group, where he is Department Manager for Mines Controlling. ‘Johan’s ability to drive financial processes focused on generating operational benefits will strengthen us as a company, while also opening up new opportunities for Railcare to continue to create sustainable growth’, said Railcare President & CEO Mattias Remahl.