Railway Age magazine

Established in 2017, the annual award is presented to railway industry women in the United States, Canada and/or Mexico for their outstanding leadership, vision, innovation, community service involvement and accomplishments. In an industry typically dominated by men, they have a track record of breaking down barriers and helping to create industry opportunities for women.

“Congratulations to this year’s distinguished group of women!” Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon said on behalf of the judging committee, which included Railroad Financial Corporation Senior Advisor Barbara Wilson, Gateway Development Commission Executive Vice President Catherine Rinaldi, and the Railway Age staff. “Our 25 honorees, plus five selected for honorable mention, came from a strong field of nearly 100 nominations. We are proud that all 30 will be recognized at the 2026 Railway Age/RT&S Women in Rail Conference, to be held Oct. 6-7 at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg.”

In addition to the Railway Age Staff, the judges are:

Barbara Wilson
Senior Advisor
Railroad Financial Corporation 

Wilson served previously as President and CEO of short line holding company RailUSA, providing strategic leadership and implementing long-range goals, plans and policies. Prior to joining RailUSA in 2019, she was President of Wells Fargo Rail, where she led business growth by acquiring three industry competitors to build the largest railcar leasing business in North America. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and an MBA from Babson College.

Catherine Rinaldi
Executive Vice President
Gateway Development Commission (GDC) 

Rinaldi oversees all essential administrative functions, while developing and tracking metrics to ensure that strategic objectives are achieved at GDC, the bi-state authority charged with delivering the Hudson Tunnel Project. She was previously President of MTA Metro-North Railroad, the first woman to hold that position. From February 2022-October 2023, she simultaneously served as Interim President of MTA Long Island Rail Road. Rinaldi is a summa cum laude graduate of Yale College and a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law.

2025 Women in Rail Honorees Yvonne Hill-Donald

Chief Administrative Officer
MTA Metro-North Railroad

Hill-Donald has made lasting contributions to both MTA Metro-North Railroad and MTA Long Island Rail Road, shaping the workforce, organizational structure, and administrative functions that sustain safe and reliable service for millions of riders. In her current role, she has transformed the alignment of people, resources, and processes to better support operations and improve efficiency. She has also assumed direct responsibility for Metro North’s Operations Training Department, where she has expanded and modernized training programs for frontline employees and managers. Hill-Donald’s impact extended across both railroads during one of the most complex projects in North America: the opening of Grand Central Madison. As Acting Senior Advisor to the Interim President of LIRR, she ensured that the administrative and organizational resources were in place to successfully launch this multibillion-dollar expansion. Earlier in her career, Hill-Donald modernized Metro-North’s HR systems, compensation structures, and workforce planning strategies. She has consistently been a voice for organizational change, leading initiatives that improved succession planning, talent acquisition, and employee engagement that directly benefited the railroad’s ability to recruit and retain top talent in a highly competitive industry. Colleagues credit her with creating a culture in which people feel both supported and accountable.

Stephanie Kuntzman 

Assistant Vice President, Consumer Products
BNSF Railway
(Railway Age Honoree, 25 Under 40 Program for 2022)

Kuntzman has played a key role in leading the development of customer-centric intermodal solutions to meet the evolving needs of supply chains and to drive value for BCOs (beneficial cargo owners). Among them: Quantum, a J.B. Hunt and BNSF service, launched in 2023 to help BCOs convert highly service-sensitive highway freight to intermodal; and BNSF logistics parks and intermodal customer co-location solutions, allowing BCOs to benefit from lower costs, greater operational flexibility, and lower GHG emissions when shipping intermodal. She has also led efforts to develop APIs to share real-time data between BNSF and its intermodal carrier partners and BCOs. Kuntzman makes development a priority for herself and those around her. She is a member of the Retail Industry Leader Association’s Transportation Sustainability Working Group, representing BNSF as a strategic project partner; serves as a BNSF mentor; assisted with the launch of IANA’s Future Leaders of Intermodal Program; and has been a commercial lead for BNSF’s Sustainable Freight Leadership Council, a group comprising approximately 10 customers and BNSF leaders that shares insights and best practices to advance freight decarbonization. Kuntzman also volunteers at the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Texas.

Maria Orcera

AVP, Revenue Accounting & Customer Service
Patriot Rail

Orcera is a first-generation college graduate and holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Puerto Rico, which she earned while working full-time and managing a single-parent household. She began her transportation career at age 18 as a distribution company intern. After graduation, she worked in the maritime and trucking industry for ten years. Orcera then brought her expertise to Florida East Coast Railway. She led the design and development of the railroad’s intermodal and trucking system that streamlined the full load cycle and implemented the “average billing date” initiative, reducing the billing cycle from ten to three days. In 2021, Orcera joined Patriot Rail, a short line and regional rail service provider, as Manager of Revenue, and was quickly promoted to Director of Revenue Accounting and to her current role. She has steered the Revenue Accounting department through Patriot Rail’s largest acquisition to date: Pioneer Lines, which encompassed more than 12 railroads. She also spearheaded the reduction of over-90-day receivables by 85% and total receivables by 43% in just three years; created and implemented the freight revenue system designed for the BNSF intermodal terminal project in Salt Lake City; and in partnership with IT, is leading the integration of Billing, Credit, and Collections, while also designing and implementing new operational workflows.

Cinthya Melissa Guillén Pinales

General Manager–Operations Center (Monterrey)
Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)
(Railway Age Honoree, 25 Under 40 Program for 2024)

Pinales demonstrates that capability transcends gender and environment. She has served as CPKC’s General Manager of the Operations Center in Mexico since 2023 and guided the team to deliver significant results: In 2024, they increased raw speed by 21%, improved CMCD (car miles per car day) by 12%, and boosted GTMs (gross ton miles) by 22%. This was accomplished with minimal changes to labor agreements, while demonstrating resiliency in overcoming network challenges. Pinales led the implementation of Nexus/RPM and other core operating processes in Mexico. Under her direction, network operations and CPKC operations center teams have markedly improved the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of reporting. In third-quarter 2025, Pinales oversaw cross-functional efforts to address operational challenges in Mexico’s northern region. She worked closely with the Transportation, Network Operations, Mechanical, Engineering and Locomotive teams to successfully restore operations, minimize recrews, and maintain service reliability at key terminals. Pinales was the first woman to serve as Terminal Manager in intermodal operations and the first female Superintendent of Monterrey Yard for Kansas City Southern de Mexico, part of KCS, which merged with CP in 2023 to form CPKC. 

Shelly Reid

Vice President Sales & Group Manager
The Greenbrier Companies

Since joining The Greenbrier Companies in 2016, Reid has made significant progress increasing commercial sales, achieving business goals, and empowering women across the industry. She played a key role in securing and executing Greenbrier’s largest Canadian deal: more than 2,000 railcars. Widely respected as a trusted subject-matter expert, Reid actively mentors members of her department and collaborates across the organization, including with the legal, engineering, and customer care teams. Under her management, these teams coordinate and align contract details, pricing, and compliance. Reid is dedicated to listening to customers and advances railcar designs that best meet their needs. She also manages virtual sample railcar reviews, coordinates inspections, and makes sure that railcars comply with safety and quality standards. Additionally, she supports Greenbrier’s customer experience and post-award teams to ensure customer satisfaction from the start of sale negotiations to order completion. Reid is a member of Greenbrier’s Master Lease Agreement (MLA) Committee, providing input on contract processes and language that lead to successful outcomes for both Greenbrier and its customers.

Gaynor Ryan 

Chief Human Resources Officer
Pinsly Railroad Company

Ryan joined the railroad industry in 1994 as a Bangor & Aroostook Customer Service Representative and later became Vice President of Human Resources for that railroad’s successor, the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic (MMA). Following the July 13, 2013, crude oil train tragedy in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Ryan was a part of the senior team that led the turnaround of the Central Maine & Quebec (CMQ), which was created from the bankrupt MMA assets. According to her award nominator, Ryan led with compassion during the transition from MMA to CMQ, which earned Railway Age’s 2016 Regional Railroad of the Year Award. “There are very few people (maybe none) who had to overcome a more challenging set of professional circumstances,” the nominator wrote. “Gaynor did, and with a positive outcome.” Ryan is now responsible for HR, employee compensation and benefits, and administration at Pinsly, where she led the development of the company’s mission statement and core values. She also directs annual “Pinsly Way Day” sessions for all railroad teams, providing updates and allowing for Q&As with executives. Ryan is currently organizing a new leadership training program. She serves as a Board Member for The Shaw House and was recognized last year for distinguished service by the Maine Junior Black Bear Youth Hockey Association.

Lisa Schreibman

Acting Vice President & Chief Officer
MTA Staten Island Railway (SIR)

Schreibman’s 20-plus year career across New York’s transit system reflects a combination of strategic vision, operational expertise, and a relentless drive to improve public transportation for all. While she began in planning and strategy roles, she was determined to become known as an operations leader, embracing that side of the business with attention to how things work, who makes them work, and how to drive performance at every level. Her dedication paid off. Schreibman now heads SIR, bringing a blend of strategic insight and diligence to this vital regional transportation service. In a separate role, VP and Chief Officer of Capital Strategy and Management for MTA, she provided representation for a $32 billion, five-year capital program and led a team of 40 professionals, ensuring that subway operations were not only supported during construction but also positioned for long-term success post-delivery. As Acting SVP of Subways, she guided one of the most complex urban rail systems in the world through a period of transition. Her earlier roles laid the foundation for this trajectory. As Senior Director of Strategic Planning, she took part in interdepartmental initiatives, including fare payment modernization. Her leadership on the No. 7 Line Extension showcased her ability to coordinate environmental reviews, staffing strategies, and operational planning. Schreibman is also dedicated to serving as a mentor through WTS International.

Shaquana Stephens 

Acting Superintendent-Commuter Operations
Amtrak

Since joining Amtrak in 2006 as a Reservation Sales Agent, Stephens has steadily advanced to roles of increasing responsibility, including Crew Scheduler, Station Manager and District Manager. This progression reflects her dedication to operational efficiency, as well as a commitment to developing a responsive and prepared team. Stephens served most recently as Assistant Superintendent; now as Acting Superintendent-Commuter Operations, she oversees the MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) Train contract, ensuring safe, efficient, and reliable service for hundreds of thousands of riders each day. Stephens has successfully led teams through service disruptions, coordinating resources, managing frontline employees, and communicating effectively across multiple departments and with passengers to restore service quickly and safely. Under her leadership, process improvements have been implemented to reduce response times for future incidents. Stephens also gives back to the railroad industry, actively mentoring less experienced Amtrak employees and serving as a role model and resource to those aspiring to build long-term careers in transportation.

Beth Sullivan 

Vice President Operations Support & Organizational Planning
MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)

Sullivan has demonstrated exceptional leadership throughout her 30-year career at LIRR, where she has risen from Assistant Conductor to VP. She is responsible for operations planning, corporate training, enhancement projects, business development and customer experience. Sullivan recently oversaw development of an operations plan if five labor unions were to go on strike, demonstrating her management of high-risk, high-impact challenges. Previously, as the commuter railroad’s Chief Transportation Officer, she led 2,000-plus employees and managed a $450 million annual budget. She was instrumental in delivering some of the most complex and high-impact capital projects in the agency’s history, including the implementation of PTC and the Tower Migration initiative; she played a central leadership role in the Main Line 2nd and 3rd Track Expansion programs and the Grand Central Madison project, which significantly increased service capacity and access for riders. Dedicated to fostering employee recognition, inclusion, and mentorship, Sullivan oversaw the planning committees for LIRR’s first annual President’s Excellence Awards and Labor Day Appreciation events, celebrating the contributions of 7,000-plus employees. She represents LIRR in such industry associations as CRC, APTA, AAR, WTS, and COMTO, ensuring diverse voices are part of policy, safety, and best practices conversations.

Marcia Tauriella

Vice President Global Sourcing
A. Stucki Company

Tauriella’s knowledge of the rail industry and expertise in creating value for customers have been instrumental to Stucki, from its recent acquisition of Wheelworx to driving major operational and sourcing improvements across the enterprise. She has successfully led efforts through a period of evolving global trade dynamics, applying her insight to tariff  management, vendor strategy and supply-chain resilience. In 2023, she was tasked with creating and standing up a centralized purchasing organization to replace a decentralized model. With help from her team, Tauriella has been a champion of strategic sourcing, introducing a more disciplined approach to vendor-relationship management, total cost of ownership, and supply-chain risk mitigation. She works to ensure Stucki remains competitive and resilient. “Driving change at scale is never easy, but Tauriella has continued to deliver results while earning the trust and respect of her colleagues along the way,” her award nominator wrote. Before joining Stucki, she served Union Pacific, where she played a pivotal role in optimizing freight-car and intermodal-equipment sourcing and led major change-management initiatives that impacted thousands of vendors and employees. Tauriella serves as a mentor and role model for female leaders across Stucki, and brings her passion for the industry into local school classrooms, so students understand the role railroads play in their everyday lives. 

Blaire Theuerkauf

Senior Counsel
Metra

In her role as Senior Counsel at Metra commuter railroad, Theuerkauf advises on procurement and construction contracts, ensuring compliance with federal requirements; and has worked to memorialize onboarding information in a comprehensive guide and resource. She graduated in 2018 with a Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University College of Law, and joined the railroad’s Law Department shortly before it went through a major transition in staffing and restructuring. Theuerkauf helped to guide the team by maintaining transparent communication, setting clear priorities, and advocating for team members’ roles. Recently, she was instrumental in the safe and seamless transfer to Metra from Union Pacific three lines of commuter rail service in the Chicago metropolitan area—a transaction that did not have an existing playbook. “Her work has far surpassed her years of experience, and she is doing the work at a level commiserate to a much senior attorney,” according to her award nominator. Theuerkauf not only mentors and guides new attorneys and legal staff at Metra, but also has served as Director of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, as well as Chair of the association’s Continuing Legal Education Committee and Young Lawyers Committee, and as President of Southside Center of Hope’s Young Professional Board.

Michelle Wan

Vice President, Projects
Hitachi Rail

Wan has built her 25-plus year career by driving the successful delivery of some of the world’s most complex and high-profile signaling projects. As VP, Projects at Hitachi Rail, she leads 100 project management professionals in North America and 60 worldwide, overseeing an active portfolio of 65 projects in 15 countries. Having worked across every stage of project delivery, starting as a Project Engineer in Canada, to executive leadership, Wan’s extensive experience and knowledge have enabled Hitachi Rail to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient rail systems in London, U.K. (supporting the Jubilee and Northern Upgrade Program; directing the £2 billion Four Lines Modernization program; and securing operational readiness for the Docklands Light Railway extension to Stratford, ensuring safe and seamless transport for millions of Olympic Park spectators in 2012) and in Doha, Qatar (spearheading signaling support during the FIFA World Cup 2022, enabling more than 18 million passenger journeys in just five days and increasing ridership by 300%). Throughout her career, Wan has focused not only on successfully delivering projects, but also on building long-term partnerships with transit authorities and operators. By emphasizing sustained support well beyond project completion, she ensures customers have confidence that their systems will continue to run safely and efficiently.

Leah Windell

Customer Service Manager
Louisville & Indiana Railroad (LIRC, an Anacostia Rail Holdings company)

Windell exemplifies leadership through action, providing “service with a smile”; following the motto “See a problem; solve a problem”; and asking questions and “learning by doing” so she can be effective in her role. While she initially met resistance when she wanted to ride with crews to better understand specific spotting instructions at each customer facility, her persistence paid off. Windell has since learned about locomotive 92-day inspections, track work, signaling, and more. All employees, regardless of craft, are now encouraged to ask questions and job shadow to find out how each craft affects the others. “Since our first interaction in 2015, we have viewed Leah Windell as a consummate rail professional who understands the importance of the supply chain,” a LIRC customer said. “Her ‘positive individual efforts’ to help LIRC reach and exceed team goals has always been outstanding. Leah recently project managed a complex, five rail carrier routing option. Her support to get us the most cost effect options while realizing the importance of speed to market was a critical link for the success we all recognized.” Windell is also deeply committed to community service. She is a Repair Affair participant, aiding seniors and disabled individuals with home repairs, and a Kentucky and Indiana Paralyzed Veterans of America volunteer.  

All Photographs Courtesy of the Respective Companies.

Click Here to Read Part 1 of 2

The post 2025 WOMEN IN RAIL: Paving the Way for the Next Generation (Part 2 of 2) appeared first on Railway Age.

The awards recognize “the outstanding safety records of railroads that have achieved either a 0.0 accident frequency rate, or the best safety rate as measured by the lowest accident frequency rate per person-hour of operation below the industry average,” according the ASLRRA. Award winners in each region, it noted, are selected based on the previous year’s performance, according to Federal Railroad Association accident/incident reporting data; this year’s winners were determined based on 2024 FRA data.

Each region can earn awards in up to five categories: More than 500,000 Person Hours Worked; 250,000-500,000 Person Hours Worked; 150,000 to 250,000 Person Hours Worked; 50,000 to 150,000 Person Hours Worked; and Less than 50,000 Person Hours Worked.

“For short line railroads, there is nothing more important than operating safely,” ASLRRA President Chuck Baker said in May when the winners were announced, along with members earning the Jake Award.

Following are the Central, Pacific, Eastern, and Southern region winners.

Central Region Winners 250,000 to 500,000 Person-Hours Worked:
Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
Accepting the award were Superintendent of Transportation Shaun Kohlenberger (second from left), Director of Operating Practices Mike Prince (center) and Mechanical Superintendent Joe Bentrup (second from right). Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Kristin L. Bevil (VP, Central Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 150,000 to 250,000 Person-Hours Worked:
South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad
Accepting the award was General Manager Jerry Waun (center). Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Kristin L. Bevil (VP, Central Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 50,000 to 150,000 Person-Hours Worked:
Burlington Junction Railway
Accepting the award was Director of Safety and Transload Jeffrey Dean (center). Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Kristin L. Bevil (VP, Central Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) Less than 50,000 Person-Hours Worked:
Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad
Accepting the award is Special Projects Coordinator Brandon Crouch (center). Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Kristin L. Bevil (VP, Central Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) Pacific Region Winners 250,000 to 500,000 Person-Hours Worked:
Portland & Western Railroad
Accepting the award is General Manager Scott Boyter (second from left). Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Members Otis L. Cliatt II (pictured, left; VP, Pacific Region) and Matthew O. Walsh (second from right; Chair) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 50,000 to 150,000 Person-Hours Worked:
Great Northwest Railroad
Accepting the award was General Manager Jerick Staker (second from left). Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Members Otis L. Cliatt II (pictured, left; VP, Pacific Region) and Matthew O. Walsh (second from right; Chair) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) Less than 50,000 Person-Hours Worked:
Southwestern Railroad
Accepting the award were President Dusty Young, Locomotive Foreman John Alexander and Roadmaster Jorge Barraza (second through fourth from left, respectively). Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Members Otis L. Cliatt II (pictured, left; VP, Pacific Region) and Matthew O. Walsh (second from right; Chair) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA)

Not pictured: 150,000 to 250,000 Person-Hours Worked winner Clarkdale Arizona Central Railroad. Also, there was not a winner this year in the “More than 500,000 Person Hours Worked” category.

Eastern Region Winners More than 500,000 Hours Worked:
Consolidated Rail Corp.
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Robert J. Babcock (pictured, left; VP, Eastern Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 250,000-500,000 Hours Worked:
Union Railroad Company, LLC
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Robert J. Babcock (pictured, left; VP, Eastern Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 150,000-250,000 Hours Worked:
Indiana & Ohio Railway Company
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Robert J. Babcock (pictured, left; VP, Eastern Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 50,000-150,000 Hours Worked:
SMS Rail Service Inc.
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Robert J. Babcock (pictured, left; VP, Eastern Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) Less than 50,000 Hours Worked:
Rochester & Southern Railroad, Inc.
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Member Robert J. Babcock (pictured, left; VP, Eastern Region) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) Southern Region Winners 250,000-500,000 Hours Worked:
Paducah & Louisville Railway, Inc.
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Members Ben J. Tarbutton III (pictured, left; VP, Southern Region) and Matthew O. Walsh (second from left; Chair) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 150,000-250,000 Hours Worked:
Alabama & Gulf Coast Railway
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Members Ben J. Tarbutton III (pictured, left; VP, Southern Region) and Matthew O. Walsh (second from left; Chair) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) 50,000-150,000 Hours Worked:
Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railway
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Members Ben J. Tarbutton III (pictured, left; VP, Southern Region) and Matthew O. Walsh (second from left; Chair) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA) Less than 50,000 Hours Worked:
Georgia Southwestern Railroad
Presenting the award were ASLRRA Executive Board Members Ben J. Tarbutton III (pictured, left; VP, Southern Region) and Matthew O. Walsh (second from left; Chair) and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (right). (Photograph Courtesy of ASLRRA)

Not pictured: More than 500,000 Person Hours Worked winner Conrad Yelvington Distributors, Inc.

The post ASLRRA Members Honored for 2024 Safety Performance appeared first on Railway Age.

High-production, computer-driven track machines and inspection vehicles perform one of the most critical of maintenance-of-way (M/W) functions: keeping ballast in a state-of-good-repair to provide a smooth-running surface with excellent drainage. Any experienced railroad civil engineer will tell you that track is only as good as the ballast holding it in place. Ballast, which is dumped, spread, tamped, profiled and cleaned, serves many purposes, the most important of which is drainage. 

Following is a roundup of offerings from suppliers who responded to Railway Age’s inquiries about how they are continuing to innovate and improve ballast maintenance technology.

Brandt’s RTB100 supports a wide range of attachments powered by high-flow hydraulics. Brandt

Launching in the U.S. this year, the new Brandt RTB100 Hi-Rail Backhoe builds on previous models to deliver “a powerful, flexible, and efficient solution” for ballast maintenance and inspection support—whether digging out fouled ballast, cleaning drainage ditches, or performing general maintenance of way work, the company tells Railway Age.

Brandt, which it notes “has decades of experience designing M/W solutions,” went to “the experts—rail operators and contractors—when creating the RTB100 to understand their pain points.” Operators, the company says, expressed frustration with inefficient and costly M/W solutions and asked for machines that can do more with less. “That’s why the Hi-Rail Backhoe delivers more productivity and machine versatility to improve return on investment (ROI),” Brandt says.

Built on a John Deere 320P chassis, the RTB100 pairs Brandt’s purpose-built hi-rail gear with Deere’s proven reliability to give rail operators “unmatched performance and uptime in demanding track environments,” the company says. The RTB100 supports a wide range of attachments (buckets, grapples, tie handlers) powered by high-flow hydraulics, “enabling quick response and high performance across ballast and drainage tasks.” The machine’s 24.9 mph travel speed and three-minute rail-to-road conversion “make it ideal for inspection and spot maintenance work—keeping crews moving efficiently between job sites.”

Loram

Loram provides a complete suite of ballast maintenance tools for customers from initial inspection through to completed maintenance programs. Using a combination of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), LiDAR, track geometry data, and other inputs, Loram says it can deliver to customers “a comprehensive assessment of current track conditions and prioritized work plans that can be integrated into existing Geographic Information Systems (GIS).” Additionally, analysis can be done to determine the effectiveness of maintenance that has already been done, as well as predict future maintenance needs.

When it comes to executing ballast maintenance, Loram says it “has tools to remediate both internal and external drainage issues. Internal drainage is most effectively maintained with shoulder ballast cleaning. Loram utilizes the highest production shoulder ballast cleaners available, excavating and screening shoulder ballast down to the bottom of the ballast layer. The integrated scarifier is used to pull fouled ballast out from under tie ends, breaking up mud caps that prevent water from draining out of the crib of the track. Because there is minimal disturbance to ballast structure under the tie when shoulder cleaning is performed, trains typically run at track speed directly after an SBC with no slow order required.”

In areas where complete ballast renewal is required, Loram’s Track Lifter Undercutter (TLU) and Undercutter Cleaners (UC) deliver “best-in-class productivity,” the company tells Railway Age. Using patented digging wheel technology these machines cut in to track unaided, “dramatically reducing the amount of time, equipment, and labor required to start and finish an undercutter job.” The TLU and UC machines are also capable of high-lift, high-speed track lifting with the capability to lift up to one foot in a single pass at speeds more than three miles per hour.

When ballast excavation is required for short sections of track, or near specialty track assets (bridges, crossings, turnouts, tunnels, etc.), Loram’s LRV vacuum excavator is “the railroads’ machine of choice.” The LRV pairs vacuum power with a manipulator that can apply 5,000 pounds of force at the tip of the nozzle and is able to excavate even the most fouled and cemented ballast in hard-to-reach locations. In addition to excavating in tight clearances on ballast deck bridges, in tunnels and around switches and crossings, the LRV can perform mud spot undercutting and removal, cross drain or trench digging and drain cleaning. Because there are no moving parts associated with vacuum excavation, ballast “can be removed from critical, typically expensive components without any damage.”

When external drainage maintenance is required, Loram’s Badger Ditcher and DC Max Ditchers are :the industry standard for high-speed ditch creation. These high-efficiency machines can excavate material at up to 800 tons per hour to quickly restore drainage and direct water away from the track. A clean and consistent ditch diverts runoff away from the track quickly, ensuring soils do not become saturated and less stable and is part of any comprehensive drainage solution.”

“Year over year the ballast maintenance business is consistent,” Loram tells Railway Age. “Customers understand the value of a solid ballast maintenance program and the importance it has in ensuring consistent operation of revenue service trains.”

Loram says it is also currently developing a next generation vacuum excavation machine, the Loram Track Vac (LTV), which will be entering the company’s revenue service fleet in early 2026. “Customers are looking for ways to get boots off the ballast and put personnel up on machines, or in cabins, wherever possible,” Loram notes.

Miner’s dual cylinder air-powered AggreGate is available in either pushbutton or remote-control operation. Miner Enterprises

Miner’s AggreGate® line of ballast outlet gates, control systems and accessories is available in electric, air-powered and manual operating models. AggreGate outlet gates are suitable for both retrofit and new car systems.

“Miner’s AggreGate is proven to be a safe and efficient method of unloading ballast, whether the railroad wants a simple manual unloading or a fully automated standalone system,” says Miner Enterprises Director of Sales Paul Aspengren. “More than 7,200 carsets of Miner AggreGates have been sold into service since it first received AAR certification more than four decades ago.”

The newest model, the solar-powered stand-alone electric AggreGate, “enables railroads to bring more efficiency and flexibility to their maintenance-of-way operations,” according to the company. “By integrating solar power into each railcar, it enables independent operation of every car from anywhere within the ballast train. This eliminates the need for grouping manual and automatic cars.”

The AggreGate remote-control system features a push button override that allows individual car and gate selection. Operators “can effectively ballast inside, outside or both sides of the rail simultaneously.”

The dual cylinder air-powered AggreGate is also available in either pushbutton or remote-control operation. The operator can select a specific car and gate, as well as control ballast flow, “ensuring more accurate ballast discharge from distances as great as 300 feet.”

The manual AggreGate is available with transition sheets designed to enable new or retrofit application to any open-top hopper car. It features a three-position handle “for easy opening and closing of doors.” Spring tension holds the large guillotine door in position at any opening for controlled flow of ballast. According to the company, Miner AggreGates “are the most specified ballast gates in the industry.” 

The Pavemetrics® LRAIL system combines high-speed 3D laser technology with AI-driven analytics. Pavemetrics®

“As railways look ahead to 2026, they face growing pressure to maintain expanding networks safely, efficiently, and sustainably—often with fewer resources and limited maintenance windows,” Pavemetrics® tells Railway Age.

Pavemetrics®, through its Railmetrics® brand, part of Eddyfi Technologies’ Automated Vision Systems,” is helping rail operators meet those challenges” with its LRAIL system.

“In today’s market, railways are seeking ways to improve accuracy, repeatability, and speed of track inspections while reducing manual work and disruptions,” the company notes. “LRAIL combines high-speed 3D laser technology with AI-driven analytics to automatically measure every critical track component—including ballast, crossties, rail, fasteners, and turnouts—at full track speed and with zero disruptions to operations.”

For ballast inspection, LRAIL provides a continuous 3D view with a transversal field of view of 11.5 feet, “allowing a clear assessment of ballast levels and shoulders beyond the ends of crossties. Automated analysis identifies areas of insufficient or excess ballast, as well as fouled ballast such as mud spots, generating configurable reports aligned with each railway’s standards.”

Recent developments at Pavemetrics® focus on data processing and analysis algorithms, “enabling timely insights and supporting more proactive, predictive maintenance strategies,” the company says. “Ultimately, railways want data they can trust—objective, comprehensive information that helps them make faster, safer, and smarter maintenance decisions.” LRAIL, Pavemetrics® adds, “delivers exactly that: automated, reliable insight that makes inspections safer, decisions clearer, and railways stronger.”

Pettibone’s Speed Swing 445FT is powered by a 163-horsepower Cummins Tier 4 diesel engine and includes a 49-gallon fuel tank. Pettibone

The Pettibone Speed Swing 445F2 is described as “a versatile machine that utilizes numerous rail maintenance attachments, including a handful that are designed for efficient ballast work.”

A track cleaning bucket can be used to clear excess ballast as the machine travels on the rails. The Speed Swing can also use a switch broom to sweep switches and remove ballast and debris from the area. For rail crossing maintenance, the Speed Swing often uses rail mat tongs to place mats, followed by a general-purpose bucket for scooping and laying down ballast where needed.

When equipped with an AAR car coupler, a Speed Swing can also pull ballast-filled railcars.

The Speed Swing 445F2 is powered by a 163-horsepower Cummins Tier 4 diesel engine and includes a 49-gallon fuel tank, a 29% increase in capacity over the previous model. Offering a maximum front load capacity of 10,000 pounds and maximum side load capacity of 8,000 pounds, the 445F2 features 180-degree boom rotation. The Speed Swing can travel up to 25 mph on hi-rail and 20 mph with all-terrain rubber tires.

(Plasser American) Plasser American

“With shorter work windows, railroads need reliable, high-capacity solutions for ballast cleaning and maintenance,” Plasser American tells Railway Age. The company offers a full fleet of machines that ensure precise track geometry and track availability.

“Undercutting and shoulder cleaning remain the best way to ensure clean, unfouled ballast,” says Plasser American, whose RM802, “the largest undercutter in the U.S.,” can work up to 2,000 feet per hour with pre-dumped ballast. The RM80-800 is designed to work at high speeds, even through fouled and muddy conditions. The RM80-800 also includes track lifting and lining devices to allow the machine to clear track side obstacles.

For shoulder cleaning, Plasser American offers the FRM85 and FRM802 machines. “Our Shoulder Ballast Cleaners are designed to cut the entire shoulder width and full depth in one single pass to provide a productive and efficient operation,” the company tells Railway Age. “Offered with a single shaker box, or for higher performance, a double shaker box configuration, these units maintain clean ballast shoulders, promoting proper drainage and reducing the frequency of maintenance cycles.”

Plasser American’s next-generation GRM4000 is the newest tamper in the company’s high production GRM Line. The GRM4000 offers a modified design with a two-tie tamping unit “to significantly increase the production rate and improved weight distribution designed to be transported by road trucks or flat cars,” the company notes. Furthermore, the addition of the Autonomous Remote Stabilizer Upgrade Kit “links” the new GRM4000 remotely to the popular Plasser Dynamic Track Stabilizer PTS90C. This kit consists of two modules—one is installed on the existing stabilizer and the counterpart on an independent lead machine, such as a GRM4000. Once installed, the stabilizer can be fully controlled by the lead machine operator and requires no additional operator. This remote upgrade, Plasser American says, “keeps headcount low and performance high, while radar safety solutions ensure safe operation on track. Field tests proved the feasibility and safety of the new upgrade kit and delivered the expected results. This new upgrade kit supports the industry’s commitment to safety and efficiency.” 

“Ballast maintenance remains a core, recurring expense for railroads, and the right mix of high-performance machines, data-driven planning and targeted investments will lead to life-extension value from their infrastructure,” the company notes. “Plasser American’s ballast cleaning and surfacing equipment are established tools in railroad’s toolboxes designed to reduce track downtime, lower lifecycle costs and help networks return to service sooner after heavy work.”

(RCE) RCE

The original Fiscal Year 2025 forecast for the overall construction industry was down 5% to 10%, RCE tells Railway Age. “The year has tracked along this path with lower purchase volumes and a shift to rental demand. The primary concern was the impact of tariffs on the overall economy. Thus far, the impact has been minimal as many of the OEMs have absorbed price increases. It is estimated that the industry will be flat or grow slightly in 2026, and the outlook is more positive. In Fiscal Year 2026, tariffs are estimated to impact pricing by 3% to 5%.”

In September, at the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) show, RCE unveiled the GlideRail Backhoe, “a purpose-built John Deere backhoe equipped with RCE’s new hi-rail gear system engineered for unmatched operator control, smooth transitions, and maximum versatility.”

The GlideRail, the company says, “represents the next evolution in RCE’s industry-leading lineup of hi-rail equipment, designed to help rail contractors and maintenance teams get the job done—faster, safer and smarter.”

“Our customers asked for a hi-rail backhoe that could handle everything—from tight urban rail maintenance to heavy-duty tie replacement—and transition seamlessly between on- and off-track work,” says Brian Benck, President at RCE Equipment Solutions. “The GlideRail delivers exactly that. It’s simple to operate, built with high quality and durability in mind, and designed to keep crews moving.”

Key features of the GlideRail:

• Independent front and rear controls for seamless operation.
• Automatic down-pressure relief on the rear rail gear.
• Front oscillating hi-rail axle for smooth on/off-track transitions.
• Bolt-on design for easy installation and serviceability.
• Maintains full loader-arm functionality in hi-rail mode.
• Utilizes existing OEM stabilizers—no added complexity.
• Compatible with John Deere 320P, 320P HL, and 310G (No DEF) models.
• Backed by JDLink telematics, 500-hour engine service intervals, and the nationwide John Deere dealer network.

Optional attachments include a general-purpose bucket, rotating tie head, tamper head, forks and a cold air blower, “giving contractors the flexibility to configure the GlideRail for nearly any rail application,” says RCE, which also announced a partnership with GKD in 2025 that includes technology features added to the company’s Railavator machine lineup: enhanced vision systems, height and slew settings, and obstacle detection. This technology, RCE says, “helps with safety initiatives on the tracks.”

As customers continue to look for equipment versatility, RCE says next year it will have one of its “biggest product announcements in the company’s history,” though it “is not ready to talk about it just yet.”

The post On the Rocks appeared first on Railway Age.

Established in 2017, the annual award is presented to railway industry women in the United States, Canada and/or Mexico for their outstanding leadership, vision, innovation, community service involvement and accomplishments. In an industry typically dominated by men, they have a track record of breaking down barriers and helping to create industry opportunities for women.

“Congratulations to this year’s distinguished group of women!” Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon said on behalf of the judging committee, which included Railroad Financial Corporation Senior Advisor Barbara Wilson, Gateway Development Commission Executive Vice President Catherine Rinaldi, and the Railway Age staff. “Our 25 honorees, plus five selected for honorable mention, came from a strong field of nearly 100 nominations. We are proud that all 30 will be recognized at the 2026 Railway Age/RT&S Women in Rail Conference, to be held Oct. 6-7 at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg.”

In addition to the Railway Age Staff, the judges are:

Barbara Wilson
Senior Advisor
Railroad Financial Corporation 

Wilson served previously as President and CEO of short line holding company RailUSA, providing strategic leadership and implementing long-range goals, plans and policies. Prior to joining RailUSA in 2019, she was President of Wells Fargo Rail, where she led business growth by acquiring three industry competitors to build the largest railcar leasing business in North America. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and an MBA from Babson College.

Catherine Rinaldi
Executive Vice President
Gateway Development Commission (GDC) 

Rinaldi oversees all essential administrative functions, while developing and tracking metrics to ensure that strategic objectives are achieved at GDC, the bi-state authority charged with delivering the Hudson Tunnel Project. She was previously President of MTA Metro-North Railroad, the first woman to hold that position. From February 2022-October 2023, she simultaneously served as Interim President of MTA Long Island Rail Road. Rinaldi is a summa cum laude graduate of Yale College and a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law.

2025 Women in Rail Honorees Jeannie Alexander

Vice President, Rail Operations
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)

Alexander is a 19-year CTA veteran. She began her career there as an intern and has risen through the ranks to Project Specialist; Training Specialist, developing programs for customer service, safety and operations; Manager-Administration, Rail Operations; General Manager-Rail Operations, implementing a comprehensive training program that addressed the operational aspects and safety compliance required by new federal safety regulations; and Director-Service Delivery, before taking on her current role. She is now responsible for keeping all eight of CTA’s rapid transit lines moving. Alexander not only works to help the transit authority remain competitive and responsive to market changes but also fosters collaboration, inspiring others to embrace change and pursue best practices. She also gives back, participating in and supporting local charitable events. Alexander is a 2022 graduate of the Leadership APTA program.

Zoe Bates

Manager Terminal Operations
Norfolk Southern (NS)

At just 25 years old, Bates became NS’s Lead Trainmaster in Ft. Wayne, Ind., overseeing craft employees and experienced supervisors alike. Within two years, she was elevated to her current role, leading more than 150 employees at the Oakwood Terminal and surrounding Detroit operations, driving operational excellence in a region critical to automotive supply chains and the Canadian interchange. Bates led the rollout of Qualified Mechanical Inspection schedules for yard and local engines across Detroit, Toledo, and Ft. Wayne. Known as a proactive, data-driven problem-solver, Bates works to strengthen work communications; she partnered with a Road Foreman to develop a divisional newsletter that is now becoming a regional communications tool.

Tina Beckberger

Chief Commercial Officer
American Industrial Transport (AITX)

Beckberger has been instrumental in establishing AITX as a top integrated railcar lessor through her hands-on, customer-first approach. She successfully guided the operational and cultural integration of SMBC Rail and The Andersons Rail Group, delivering measurable improvements in fleet performance and customer service, and transformed siloed teams into an integrated, solutions-driven commercial force, improving responsiveness and value for customers across leasing, maintenance, and regulatory services. She has also spearheaded the rollout of tools and analytics to provide customers with enhanced fleet visibility and real-time insights. Beckberger elevates female leaders through strategic hiring and promotions and helped launch a leadership development program to mentor and prepare emerging talent for long-term success. According to her award nominator, Beckberger’s “ability to lead through uncertainty while creating stability and progress sets her apart as a trailblazer.” She has guided teams through economic downturns, corporate restructuring, and market volatility, maintaining focus on long-term results and customer trust. Beckberger is a Western Railway Club Board Member, and champions AITX’s involvement in local outreach programs, such as Blessings in a Backpack, where employees recently came together to pack 500 bags of food for children facing food insecurity in Chicago.

Christina Bottomley

Vice President, Business Development & Real Estate
CSX

Bottomley manages a vast portfolio of real estate properties to support CSX rail operations, facility expansion, and industrial development initiatives. Under her leadership, the Real Estate team has maximized the value of the Class I railroad’s approximately 300,000 acres of property and $2 billion in capital investments, ensuring the infrastructure is well-maintained while nearly doubling the company’s strategic growth-focused investments. Bottomley has spearheaded the development of 500-plus projects, supporting the current trends of onshoring and reshoring, and expanded the CSX Select Site program, increasing each year the number of shovel-ready, rail-served development sites. As the co-creator of CSX InnovationX, a cross-functional “shark-tank” style initiative, Bottomley has been instrumental in identifying emerging technologies and innovative solutions to improve the railroad’s efficiency and to drive its growth. Active in the community, she is executive sponsor of the CSX Pride Business Resource Group; serves on the Advisory Council of Equality Florida; is a Board Member and Treasurer for the Jacksonville Women’s Leadership Forum; is a member of the United Way Tocqueville Society, and is a United Way Stein Fellowship mentor. Additionally, Bottomley has leveraged her role at CSX to help extend fiber optic cable to several communities on the railroad’s network.

Tammy Butler

Vice President-General Counsel
CSX

Butler’s diverse skill set as a Florida State Bar-certified attorney and certified public accountant has over the past two decades enabled her to lead CSX initiatives that drive operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and strategic growth. As Head of Real Estate, she showcased her ability to manage complex, high-value projects, playing a pivotal role in a $525 million infrastructure transaction between the Class I and the Commonwealth of Virginia that enhanced rail infrastructure and operations. Now, as Vice President-General Counsel, Butler leads the Law department, Corporate Secretary’s office, and Environmental and Hazardous Materials teams, ensuring the company operates with integrity and compliance. She has also participated in an executive development and coaching program to further hone her leadership skills. Butler is deeply committed to giving back to the industry and her community. As the executive sponsor of CSX’s HOLA Business Resource Group, she empowers Hispanic and Latin American employees, fostering engagement and inclusion and creating opportunities for professional growth. She also serves on the boards of the American Heart Association and City Year Jacksonville, where she supports initiatives that create opportunities for young adults to volunteer in Duval County schools, and was a mentor through the 2024 CSX Women’s Development Program.

Andrea Dobbelmann

CEO
Progressive Rail Incorporated
(Railway Age Honorable Mention, 25 Under 40 Program for 2021)

Dobbelmann joined Progressive Rail Incorporated in 2017 as Corporate Controller, and in 2019, became the first female CFO for the company, which operates 11 short lines in seven states. When Progressive’s chief executive stepped down in 2022, Dobbelmann was challenged to take on the role and has excelled. She starts early and stays late so everyone has what they need, and takes time for one-on-one sessions with existing and new employees alike to ensure their success, according to her award nominator. She has been instrumental in applying for and receiving more than $65 million in CRISI grants for two short lines in Washington State and Minnesota, a first for Progressive. These investments for critical infrastructure upgrades not only support economic development by enabling local industries to expand their shipping capabilities but also position the company to attract new customers and explore new business opportunities. Following a dramatic drop in rail traffic, due to the loss of Northern White franc sand, Dobbelmann exemplified strength, resolve, and tenacity by developing a recovery plan, keeping up team communications, and allowing “scarce cash” to go to new marketing initiatives. The outcome, according to her nominator, is “Progressive Rail is now stronger than we have ever been in our nearly 30-year history.” 

Christine “Christie” Drabic

Vice President Global Program Management
Wabtec Corporation

Drabic has dedicated her career to the rail industry, starting as a 19-year-old college intern with GE Transportation. Over the past 25-plus years, she has held roles across the business, from supply chain to finance, and now leads the Global Program Management team for Wabtec, responsible for executing commercial deals and ensuring that the company delivers on its commitments to its customers. Since she stepped into that role in 2019, when Wabtec acquired GE Transportation, Drabic’s team has delivered nearly 2,000 locomotives to customers in more than 20 countries on every continent, except Antarctica. Today, that team is providing locomotives for the Simandou project in Guinea. Drabic is a leader at Wabtec and in her local community. She is a Wabtec Training Program teacher; the founder of the Women of Wabtec employee resource group; an active volunteer for the annual Wabtec Girls STEM camp; part of the Society of Women Engineers Conference Planning Committee for Wabtec; leader of Wabtec’s annual United Way drive; Board Chair of United Way of Erie County, Pa.; and Board of Corporators Member of the Hamot Health Foundation in Erie.

Sandra Ellis

Vice President, Bulk, Sales and Marketing
CN

With more than 25 years of experience in rail and commodity sales, Ellis has built a reputation for closing complex, high-value deals and aligning commercial outcomes with operational excellence at CN, Canadian Pacific, and Inter Pipeline. In her current role, she strengthens customer relationships in core Bulk commodities (grain, fertilizers, coal), drives market expansion into new or under-served Bulk markets, and implements improvements in communication, operations coordination, and yield management to respond proactively to seasonal, environmental, or logistical challenges. In the Bulk business, commodity prices, tariffs, and global demand can shift overnight. Ellis has consistently adapted strategies to protect CN’s customers and revenue. Additionally, she has opened doors for women through leadership development, internal promotions, and ensuring diverse representation in key sales and commercial teams. Over the past six years, Ellis and her family have raised more than $40,000 through Betty’s Run for ALS. “We fundraise because we believe in hope, in progress, and in the power of showing up—not just for our family, but for every family navigating this path,” Ellis says.

Tania Fauchon

Americas Quality Director & Group Railway Safety Director
Alstom

Fauchon, who is based in Canada, leads Alstom’s efforts to improve rolling stock-manufacturing site quality and has reduced production defects by 70%. She transformed lower-performing legacy Bombardier Transportation sites, following Alstom’s 2021 acquisition. More recently, Fauchon was charged with leading Railway Safety for the company’s 86,000 employees worldwide. She oversees the Safety Management System, ensuring company-wide adherence and all necessary safety releases are completed when delivering Alstom products; Fauchon in 2024 secured the safety release for Alstom’s Coradia iLint in North America, a milestone in the successful launch of the hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger train. Additionally, she leads panels during all-employees events in the Americas supporting continuous learning on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and during the company’s Quality and Safety weeks. Fauchon is a Board Member of the Sherbrooke University Center of Advanced Technology; an executive mentor for the Alstom-sponsored Carleton University Women in Engineering and IT Program; and a co-executive sponsor of the company’s Operation Lifesaver initiatives in the U.S. and Canada.

Rebekah Garner 

Service Assurance Rail Support
Watco

Garner has played a key role in developing three software applications that have allowed Watco to automate what were previously paper-based, manual activities. A liaison between IT and the field, she took part in up-front fact-finding, including federal requirements, all the way through to testing, rollout, and post-rollout tweaks and enhancements. She also worked to earn team members’ trust and is assisting in their transition to using the new apps. Roam is railcar management software used by crews in the U.S. and Canada to build trains and execute the delivery and pickup of cars along their routes; CrewConnect streamlines dispatching, crew activity tracking, and hours-of-service reporting; and Track Master allows maintenance-of-way inspectors to log exceptions for Watco-operated track and switches. One Watco executive said of Garner: “It’s just amazing that I can sketch something out on paper and say, ‘I’d like to have a form uploaded in CrewConnect that looks like this,’ and a week later, it’s a masterpiece.” He noted that Garner has such a strong grasp of railroad regulations, terminology, and operations that even though she works in support services, “I truly think of her as a fellow railroader.” For more than a decade, Garner has served on such industry committees as the Revenue Pipeline Task Force, Interline Switching Task Force, Rate EDI Network, Customer Location Task Force, and Waybill Accuracy Task Force.

Arielle Giordano

Vice President of Government & Industry Affairs
Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) Railroad Services, Inc.

Before joining G&W, Giordano served as Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives T&I Committee’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, and a law clerk for the U.S. Senate’s Committee on the Judiciary. She contributed to key railroad legislation such as the 45G Short Line Railroad Tax Credit and the FRA CRISI grant program. Later, Giordano was entrusted with developing and managing the first U.S.-based government affairs function for Canadian Pacific, which was critical to guiding CP through its merger with Kansas City Southern. She lobbied for the combination, which was approved in 2023 to create the first single-line, transnational railway connecting Canada, the U.S., and Mexico, and providing hundreds of links to small railroads. In just one year since joining G&W, she has educated anyone at the company who has asked on the political process and current affairs relating transportation; she simplifies complex ideas and issues, so everyone understands what they mean for G&W and the industry. Says ASLRRA President Chuck Baker: “Arielle is an absolute workhorse in our short line railroad industry’s government affairs efforts. Whether it’s gathering cosponsors for tax credit legislation or developing a disaster relief bill, she is a leader in our world. She’s always the most prepared person in the room.”

Rebecca Gregory

Vice President Administration & Chief of Staff
Union Pacific Railroad (UP)

As Chief of Staff to CEO Jim Vena, Gregory is involved in overseeing all aspects of UP, including driving key strategic initiatives to foster engagement, bolster safety, increase efficiency, and enhance service. Previously, she ran the railroad’s commercial litigation practice, winning numerous cases and successfully defending against claims. Gregory was a member of the team that defeated class certification for UP in 2017 in one of the largest antitrust class actions ever filed. But it was during her time serving as Chief of Staff for UP’s COO in 2020 that she had the largest impact at the company. Gregory developed a training program for frontline managers that synthesized the COO’s vision, emphasizing safety, people, service, asset utilization, and cost control. Leveraging the relationships and knowledge gained over her career, as well as from field visits and interactions with employees at all levels, Gregory created a comprehensive manual that included the resources and tools available to managers. She also provided practical training for new managers. The training program and manual were provided to hundreds of managers, and the key performance measurements today show lasting positive impacts on both managerial effectiveness and efficiency, according to Gregory’s award nominator. 

All Photographs Courtesy of the Respective Companies.

The post 2025 WOMEN IN RAIL: Paving the Way for the Next Generation (Part 1 of 2) appeared first on Railway Age.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City on Nov. 5 reached 13 new tentative collective agreements with unions in the United States representing carmen, hostlers, laborers, clerks, maintenance workers, and mechanical and engineering supervisor employees. The agreements, pending ratification by union membership, cover employees in Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin.

Six tentative five-year collective agreements have been reached with the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC) representing employees on the Delaware & Hudson, Soo Line, Kansas City Southern, MidSouth, SouthRail and TexMex properties. The agreements cover 228 BRC members.

Five tentative five-year collective agreements have been reached with the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) and American Railway and Airway Supervisors Association (ARASA) representing clerks, maintenance workers, and mechanical and engineering supervisor employees on the D&H, Soo Line and KCS properties. The agreements cover approximately 105 employees.

Two other tentative five-year collective agreements have been reached with National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCF&O) employees on the Soo Line and KCS, covering 30 hostlers and laborers.

“We are pleased to have reached these tentative collective agreements offering increased wages to hundreds of our railroaders across the U.S.,” said Keith Creel, CPKC President and CEO. “By working collaboratively with our union leaders at the bargaining table, we have reached agreements benefiting our employees and their families, as we serve our customers and keep the American economy moving forward.”

The post CPKC Reaches Tentative U.S. Labor Agreements appeared first on Railway Age.

RAILWAY AGE, NOVEMBER 2025 ISSUE: Just this past September, something historic happened in the high desert of Southern California: The first hybrid hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) battery-electric passenger train in the U.S. began carrying passengers. 

On Sept. 13, the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) Zero Emission Multiple Unit, nicknamed ZEMU, began operating on a nine-mile stretch between San Bernardino and Redlands. ZEMU, which uses a hybrid hydrogen and battery technology for propulsion and emits only water vapor, is the culmination of a multi-year effort to bring such trains to California. The technology underwent testing in Switzerland following a showing at InnoTrans in 2022, and then a four-car trainset headed to the Transportation Technology Center in Pueblo, Colo., for further testing. SBCTA began testing it on the area’s network in the summer of 2024. 

Switzerland-headquartered Stadler Rail developed the technology. Stadler Project Manager Kaden Killpack tells Railway Age that “Stadler’s first hydrogen vehicle is performing well in San Bernardino, and we are grateful for our partners and customers who were heavily involved in introducing this technology to the U.S. passenger rail market.”

While Stadler’s HFC trainset, the FLIRT H2, may be the first of its kind in the U.S., it’s not likely that it will be the last. In February 2024, state agency Caltrans ordered six more, with the first of these expected to enter revenue service in 2027 on other intercity and regional rail lines. Caltrans’ $127 million contract with Stadler is part of a $10 billion, multi-year effort to bolster zero-emission vehicle use and infrastructure in the state. The total number of HFC trainsets is 10; all are expected to be in service by 2028. 

“The U.S. seems to be the most interested market in HFC rail vehicles currently,” Killpack says. “Countries where few rail routes are equipped with OCS (overhead catenary system) electrification, like the U.S., are most suitable to deploy this kind of technology.”

HFC Train Plans Alstom Coradia  iLint in demonstration service in Quebec, Canada.

Just when more HFC passenger trains will run on U.S. networks remains unclear, as the technology is not a priority of the POTUS 47 Administration. The White House recently pulled funding to develop hydrogen hubs in western U.S. states, including California. Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka confirmed in the port’s monthly media briefing that California lost its federal funding to develop the hub.

But even though a timeline for passenger trains using hydrogen in the U.S. is unclear for now, the technology is being refined in Europe and could be transferable to the U.S. one day. “We have a proven technology in Europe that could potentially address North America’s needs,” French rail developer Alstom tells Railway Age. Interest in zero-emission solutions, including hydrogen and battery-based, has grown across North America in the past five years, particularly for greenfield commuter or regional lines, according to the company.

Indeed, compared to diesel trains, Alstom says its hydrogen trains allow for a reduction of up to 700 tons of CO2 per train per year, and emit less noise compared to diesel, while their performance, such as their acceleration and speed, is comparable.

“The transport sector represents nearly 25% of world-wide emissions from fuel combustion. It is inevitable: Many countries have set targets to phase out diesel, particularly in Europe and India, to meet climate goals,” Alstom says. For instance, around 10,000 diesel trains will need to be replaced in Europe by 2035, representing around 80% of the worldwide fleet. Because of this, Europe is a potential market for hydrogen trains.

Alstom already has HFC trains operating in Europe. In Germany in 2022, its Coradia iLint trainsets started passenger service, marking the first time worldwide that hydrogen trains were being used for passenger rail. The company has delivered 41 Coradia iLint hydrogen trainsets to two German rail agencies: 27 to RMV in the state of Hesse and 14 to LNVG in the state of Lower Saxony.

“As a pioneer of this new technology, Alstom has faced some challenges in terms of operational stability,” the company says. “To enable stable and smooth passenger service, we’ve been working on a new generation of fuel cell technology, which will be gradually implemented beginning later this year.”

Italy and France are other countries set to use Alstom’s HFC trainsets: FNM (Ferrovie Nord Milano) in Italy’s northern region of Lombardy and FSE (Ferrovie del Sud Est) in southern Italy ordered 16. In France, national railway company SNCF ordered 12 Coradia Polyvalent dual-power units on behalf of four French regions in 2021. These trainsets combine catenary-electric and HFC traction equipment. The Italian trainsets received support from the European Union’s IPCEI Hy2Tech program; the first is expected to be operational for passengers in the coming months. The French trainsets, originally built at Alstom’s Reichshoffen site in France, are now being assembled by CAF France.

“In general, Europe has the infrastructure to support hydrogen trains. So far, however, the number of refueling stations specifically designed for them corresponds to the comparatively small number of hydrogen train projects. Only an increasing demand will ensure a growing supply,” Alstom says. In North America, Alstom collaborated with Chemin de fer Charlevoix and Harnois Energy to offer passenger service using HFC trains between Quebec City and Baie Saint Paul in the summer of 2023. 

Killpack says that while ZEMU, also known as the FLIRT H2 in the U.S., is the only hydrogen-powered Stadler train in operation, the company has a demonstration train, the RS ZEO, currently in commissioning and testing in Germany. Stadler also has customers in Italy who have ordered hydrogen trains, although they are not yet in passenger service. The U.S. ZEMU “will enable us to study performance,” Killpack says. “As with any new vehicle type, we will continuously improve its design and performance with new vehicle orders. Stadler’s upcoming vehicles will continue to prioritize resiliency, reliability and redundancy to ensure great performance.”

Meanwhile, another company, Germany-based Siemens Mobility, has produced the Mireo Plus H, a hydrogen train model that  has been deployed in Germany. 

Finding Opportunities Alstom Traxx Shunter H

Although HFC passenger trainsets are in operation, there are several challenges hindering widespread adoption. Alstom sees challenges in two areas. For starters, “the cost of hydrogen has continued to increase in many markets across the U.S. and Canada, making the cost of power significantly higher than it would be with either diesel or electrified systems,” the company says. “Also, the infrastructure requirements to implement a hydrogen or battery solution remain daunting for many agencies, particularly in cases where the agency operates on a host railroad. Both challenges would need to be meaningfully addressed to see greater uptake of zero emissions technologies.”

“The cost of electrification has gone up,” notes Killpack. “In the U.S., we’ve seen costs as high as $15-$17 million per track-mile, just for the OCS, traction power and signal upgrades. For smaller routes or routes with low-density or low-frequency service, the hydrogen vehicle option is far more economical.”

Nonetheless, Alstom, Stadler and Siemens still see plenty of opportunities to further progress in hydrogen trains in passenger and freight applications. 

Alstom says it has designed the Traxx Shunter H, which it describes as “an innovative new-build switcher solution.” It has received funding from the French government’s France Relance, France 2030 and the European Union’s NextGenerationEU, as part of the IPCEI Hy2Tech program. Alstom adds it has been working with German partners on re-tractioning of a diesel switcher locomotive to hydrogen. A retrofitted Alstom unit was converted from diesel to hydrogen drive, powered by hydrogen direct combustion, and began operations in September in Salzgitter, Germany. “With this research project, we are once again pioneering the use of hydrogen in rail transport,” says Alstom Vice President of Services, Central and Northern Europe François Muller. “We are expanding the vehicle modernization spectrum with a doubly sustainable approach. Thanks to this solution, our customers can switch to emission-free operation without having to replace their existing fleet.” 

Alstom is upbeat about a future with more hydrogen trains. “As the industry gains a deeper understanding of the entire ecosystem for each solution, including the technology and the infrastructure, operations, maintenance and repair, resource experience, training and availability and other external factors, the whole value chain will be optimized for better performance and reliability,” the company says. “This will help to close the maturity gap between hydrogen fuel cell/battery propulsion and traditional propulsion over time.” 

October 2023: Alstom announced the first results of North America’s first demonstration of hydrogen-powered trains. The Coradia iLint carried more than 10,000 passengers, more than 130 trips spanning 6,600 miles in Quebec from mid-June to the end of September.

The post Hydrogen Power Has Arrived appeared first on Railway Age.

North American rail volume on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads came in at 29,913,818 carloads and intermodal units for the 44-week period ending Nov. 1, 2025, the AAR reported Nov. 5. Cumulative volume in the U.S. was 21,722,446 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, up 2.4% from the same point last year; in Canada, 7,132,476 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.7%; and in Mexico, 1,058,896 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.7%.

Results were similar through the first 43 weeks of 2025 (ending Oct. 25, 2025).

For the week ending Nov. 1, 2025, total U.S. rail traffic was 496,928 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.9% drop-off from the same week last year, according to the AAR. Total carloads came in at 227,209, down 0.7%, and intermodal volume was 269,719 containers and trailers, down 6.4%.

Four of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same point in 2024. They included grain, up 1,521 carloads, to 25,171; metallic ores and metals, up 1,097 carloads, to 21,151; and miscellaneous carloads, up 780 carloads, to 9,517. Commodity groups that posted declines included coal, down 1,878 carloads, to 55,508; motor vehicles and parts, down 1,672 carloads, to 14,917; and nonmetallic minerals, down 564 carloads, to 32,563.

(BNSF Photograph)

For the first 44 weeks of this year, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 9,780,010 carloads, rising 1.9% from the same period in 2024; and 11,942,436 intermodal units, increasing 2.8% from 2024.

North American rail volume for the week ending Nov. 1, 2025, on nine reporting U.S., Canadian, and Mexican railroads totaled 333,804 carloads, dipping 1.9% from the same week last year, and 354,860 intermodal units, falling 4.2% from last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America came in at 688,664 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.1%.

For the week ending Nov. 1, 2025, Canadian railroads reported 95,112 carloads, down 1.8%, and 71,350 intermodal units, up 1.9% from the same week in 2024.

Mexican railroads reported 11,483 carloads for the week ending Nov. 1, 2025, dropping 21.3% from the same week last year, and 13,791 intermodal units, increasing 12.9% from last year.

(Ferromex Photograph)

The post AAR: North American Rail Volume Up Slightly Through Week 44 appeared first on Railway Age.

Address today’s rail and transit challenges with intelligent modern solutions. Unlock detailed insights to enhance asset operations, enabling confident decision-making and ensuring safety and reliability.

Discover how AssetWise can help optimize asset performance with real-time analysis, actionable insights, and decision support, enabling you to make confident decisions and reduce costs while ensuring safety, reliability, and compliance.

In this e-book, you’ll find clear strategies to:

• Break down data silos by harnessing the power of big data and IoT to drive efficiency and enable more targeted maintenance decisions.
• Enhance operations and management with advanced analytical and decision support tools to enable comprehensive insights for improved safety and service.
• Ensure you maintain compliance.
• Achieve real results, including:
  • 20% lower operating costs
  • 30% faster access to critical information

Plus, you’ll see how rail leaders are already making it happen. Read how SMRT Trains optimized all maintenance decisions and achieved 1 million mean kilometers between failures across rail networks.

Please fill out the form below to download the white paper.

Notice: JavaScript is required for this content. var formDisplay=1;var nfForms=nfForms||[];var form=[];form.id='31';form.settings={"objectType":"Form Setting","editActive":true,"title":"Bentley e-Book: A Smarter Way to Optimize Asset Performance through Digital Innovation","created_at":"2025-10-23 10:00:27","default_label_pos":"above","show_title":"0","clear_complete":"1","hide_complete":"1","logged_in":"","wrapper_class":"","element_class":"","add_submit":"0","currency":"","unique_field_error":"A form with this value has already been submitted.","not_logged_in_msg":"","sub_limit_msg":"The form has reached its submission limit.","calculations":[],"conditions":[],"formContentData":["firstname_1539130289191","lastname_1539130294436","email_address_1761231747676","phone_number_1761231827191","company_name_1705008640099","job_title_1705008648256","industry_1761232323805","submit_1539130436142","html_1677608961572"],"drawerDisabled":false,"changeEmailErrorMsg":"Please enter a valid email address!","confirmFieldErrorMsg":"These fields must match!","fieldNumberNumMinError":"Number Min Error","fieldNumberNumMaxError":"Number Max Error","fieldNumberIncrementBy":"Please increment by ","formErrorsCorrectErrors":"Please correct errors before submitting this form.","validateRequiredField":"This is a required field.","honeypotHoneypotError":"Honeypot Error","fieldsMarkedRequired":"Fields marked with an *<\/span> are required","key":"","changeDateErrorMsg":"Please enter a valid date!","form_title_heading_level":"3","allow_public_link":0,"embed_form":"","objectDomain":"display","ninjaForms":"Ninja Forms","fieldTextareaRTEInsertLink":"Insert Link","fieldTextareaRTEInsertMedia":"Insert Media","fieldTextareaRTESelectAFile":"Select a file","formHoneypot":"If you are a human seeing this field, please leave it empty.","fileUploadOldCodeFileUploadInProgress":"File Upload in Progress.","fileUploadOldCodeFileUpload":"FILE UPLOAD","currencySymbol":"$","thousands_sep":",","decimal_point":".","siteLocale":"en_US","dateFormat":"m\/d\/Y","startOfWeek":"1","of":"of","previousMonth":"Previous Month","nextMonth":"Next Month","months":["January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"monthsShort":["Jan","Feb","Mar","Apr","May","Jun","Jul","Aug","Sep","Oct","Nov","Dec"],"weekdays":["Sunday","Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday"],"weekdaysShort":["Sun","Mon","Tue","Wed","Thu","Fri","Sat"],"weekdaysMin":["Su","Mo","Tu","We","Th","Fr","Sa"],"recaptchaConsentMissing":"reCaptcha validation couldn't load.","recaptchaMissingCookie":"reCaptcha v3 validation couldn't load the cookie needed to submit the form.","recaptchaConsentEvent":"Accept reCaptcha cookies before sending the form.","currency_symbol":"","beforeForm":"","beforeFields":"","afterFields":"","afterForm":""};form.fields=[{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":1,"idAttribute":"id","label":"First Name","type":"firstname","key":"firstname_1539130289191","label_pos":"above","required":1,"custom_name_attribute":"fname","field_label":"First Name","field_key":"firstname_1539130289191","default":"","placeholder":"","container_class":"","element_class":"","admin_label":"","help_text":"","personally_identifiable":1,"value":"","drawerDisabled":"","id":232,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","parentType":"firstname","element_templates":["firstname","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":2,"idAttribute":"id","type":"lastname","label":"Last Name","key":"lastname_1539130294436","label_pos":"above","required":1,"custom_name_attribute":"lname","field_label":"Last Name","field_key":"lastname_1539130294436","default":"","placeholder":"","container_class":"","element_class":"","admin_label":"","help_text":"","personally_identifiable":1,"value":"","id":233,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","parentType":"lastname","element_templates":["lastname","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":3,"idAttribute":"id","type":"email","label":"Email Address","key":"email_address_1761231747676","label_pos":"above","required":1,"custom_name_attribute":"email","field_label":"Business Email Address","field_key":"business_email_address_1705008632612","default":"","placeholder":"","container_class":"","element_class":"","admin_label":"","help_text":"","personally_identifiable":1,"value":"","drawerDisabled":false,"id":234,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","parentType":"email","element_templates":["email","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":4,"idAttribute":"id","type":"phone","label":"Phone Number","key":"phone_number_1761231827191","label_pos":"above","required":0,"default":"","placeholder":"","container_class":"","element_class":"","input_limit":"","input_limit_type":"characters","input_limit_msg":"Character(s) left","manual_key":"","admin_label":"","help_text":"","mask":"","custom_mask":"","custom_name_attribute":"phone","personally_identifiable":1,"value":"","drawerDisabled":false,"field_label":"Business Phone","field_key":"business_phone_1705010055615","id":242,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","parentType":"textbox","element_templates":["tel","textbox","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":5,"idAttribute":"id","type":"textbox","label":"Company Name","key":"company_name_1705008640099","label_pos":"above","required":1,"input_limit_type":"characters","input_limit_msg":"Character(s) left","field_label":"Company Name","field_key":"company_name_1705008640099","default":"","placeholder":"","container_class":"","element_class":"","input_limit":"","manual_key":"","admin_label":"","help_text":"","mask":"","custom_mask":"","custom_name_attribute":"","personally_identifiable":"","value":"","drawerDisabled":"","id":235,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","parentType":"textbox","element_templates":["textbox","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":6,"idAttribute":"id","label":"Job Title","type":"textbox","key":"job_title_1705008648256","label_pos":"above","required":1,"default":"","placeholder":"","container_class":"","element_class":"","input_limit":"","input_limit_type":"characters","input_limit_msg":"Character(s) left","manual_key":"","admin_label":"","help_text":"","mask":"","custom_mask":"","custom_name_attribute":"","personally_identifiable":"","value":"","field_label":"Job Title","field_key":"job_title_1705008648256","drawerDisabled":"","id":236,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","parentType":"textbox","element_templates":["textbox","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":7,"idAttribute":"id","type":"textbox","label":"Industry","key":"industry_1761232323805","label_pos":"above","required":1,"default":"","placeholder":"","container_class":"","element_class":"","input_limit":"","input_limit_type":"characters","input_limit_msg":"Character(s) left","manual_key":false,"admin_label":"","help_text":"","mask":"","custom_mask":"","custom_name_attribute":"","personally_identifiable":"","value":"","drawerDisabled":false,"id":247,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","parentType":"textbox","element_templates":["textbox","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":8,"idAttribute":"id","type":"submit","label":"Submit","processing_label":"Processing","key":"submit_1539130436142","field_label":"Submit","field_key":"submit_1539130436142","container_class":"","element_class":"","drawerDisabled":"","admin_label":"","id":245,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","value":"","label_pos":"above","parentType":"textbox","element_templates":["submit","button","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap-no-label"},{"objectType":"Field","objectDomain":"fields","editActive":false,"order":9,"idAttribute":"id","type":"html","label":"HTML","default":"

<\/p>

<\/p>

By filling out the above form, you agree (except where prohibited by law) to share your information with both Simmons-Boardman Publishing and the sponsor of this white paper, who may follow-up with additional information regarding products and services related to this download. For information on how we handle your data, please visit <\/em>Simmons-Boardman\u2019s privacy policy<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and Bentley's privacy policy<\/a><\/b><\/em>.<\/em><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/nf-section><\/div><\/div><\/nf-field><\/nf-fields-wrap><\/div><\/nf-errors><\/div><\/label><\/nf-section><\/div><\/nf-section><\/div><\/div><\/form><\/div><\/nf-section><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","container_class":"","element_class":"","key":"html_1677608961572","drawerDisabled":false,"field_label":"HTML","field_key":"html_1677608961572","admin_label":"","id":246,"beforeField":"","afterField":"","value":"

<\/p>

<\/p>

By filling out the above form, you agree (except where prohibited by law) to share your information with both Simmons-Boardman Publishing and the sponsor of this white paper, who may follow-up with additional information regarding products and services related to this download. For information on how we handle your data, please visit <\/em>Simmons-Boardman\u2019s privacy policy<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and Bentley's privacy policy<\/a><\/b><\/em>.<\/em><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/nf-section><\/div><\/div><\/nf-field><\/nf-fields-wrap><\/div><\/nf-errors><\/div><\/label><\/nf-section><\/div><\/nf-section><\/div><\/div><\/form><\/div><\/nf-section><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","label_pos":"above","parentType":"html","element_templates":["html","input"],"old_classname":"","wrap_template":"wrap"}];nfForms.push(form);

The post e-Book: A Smarter Way to Optimize Asset Performance through Digital Innovation appeared first on Railway Age.