American Railroading Podcast

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Nigel Bennett – Treasurer for the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) in Union, IL. Together they discuss the history of the 100-acre Illinois Railway Museum, their history, vast and expansive exhibits, extensive libraries, educational opportunities, and amazing seasonal events for the whole family to enjoy. Also, at the end of the episode Don is joined by co-founder, president and CEO of Boots for Troops – Jimmy Rogers to announce the 2024 – Honor our Heroes award winner! Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally!
• Nigel was born and raised in England where during his teenage years, steam was the most common locomotive power source on British railways, not unlike the locomotive in Harry Potter.
• The Illinois Railway Museum was founded in 1953, but the railroad history on the site goes back much further than that.
• Their Pullman library and collection are so extensive that the Pullman Historical District and Trust utilizes the IRM as a resource.
• Exhibits at the IRM include their model railroad exhibit, freight train exhibit, post office gallery, full size railcars, locomotives and even buses, totaling over 500 railroad related exhibit items.
• In addition to the wonderful exhibits, visitors can also ride all kinds of trains while there including those powered by steam locomotives and more modern electric trains and trolleys.
• The seasonal events at IRM are many, including the upcoming Pumpkin Train in the fall, the Happy Holiday Railway and Steam Department Benefit at the Sanfillipo Estate. 
• Anyone interested in the IRM can purchase their tickets, make donations and even sign up to volunteer via the IRM website at www.IRM.org .
• The 2024 Honor our Heroes Award winner is……
• Stay tuned for our next episode!

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net

https://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com  

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.aldonco.com

https://www.enviroserve.com 

https://www.irm.org 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Tim Schaffer – Regional Sales Manager for PPG Industries. Together they discuss the importance of railcar coatings, along with a deep dive into the overall paint and lining processes, including everything from surface preparation and training to the finished product. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• Don dedicates this episode to the memory of his mentor, Joe Schieszler Sr., founder of Rescar Companies and AllTranstek, who passed away July 29, 2024.

• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally!

• Don shares his first experience blasting a railcar.

• Improper surface preparation results in over 80% of all coating and lining failures. 

• Surace contamination can include something as simple as handprints and sweat.

• The primary reasons to apply an interior lining to a railcar are product purity and corrosion protection.

• With the amount of coatings and lining options available, it’s best to consult with a coating’s expert and/or manufacturer to determine which is best for your intended use.

• Employee blast and coatings training is a must and can be achieved from resources such as coatings manufacturers and many local community colleges.

• Without the proper equipment, providing a finished coatings product that meets all requirements will be challenging, if not impossible.

• The annual Honor our Heroes Award is back for 2024, so please submit all nominations by 09/13/24. Details of how to nominate a veteran for the award are included in the episode.

• Visit our online store for all your fall hoodies, caps and sweatshirts!

• Stay tuned for our next episode!

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net

https://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com  

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.aldonco.com

https://www.enviroserve.com 

https://www.ppg.com 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Joseph “Sepp” Scanlin  – Museum Director for the U.S. Army Transportation Museum. Together they discuss the long relationship between the U.S. Army Transportation Corps and the American railroad industry going back to pre-Civil War days, as well as the U.S. Army’s use of railroading all over the world. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally!
• There is a New Gold Sponsor aboard!
• “Sepp” is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with 21 years of service to his country, prior to becoming the Museum Director of the U.S. Army Transportation Museum.
• The U.S. Army Transportation Corps is involved with 5 other areas of transportation in addition to railroading.
• West Point was created as an engineering school, and many went into the railroad industry after serving their country, as they still do today.
• During World War II, it was common for the U.S. Army to utilize railroad shops for manufacturing and training purposes to assist with the war effort, including hospital trains.
• The U.S. Army Transportation Corps has transported all kinds of modes of transportation, including elephants.
• More recently, as with the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. Army Transportation Corps has become advisors versus operators.
• The U.S. Army Transportation Museum has over 7,000 artifacts and exhibits. 
• The annual Honor our Heroes Award is back for 2024, so please submit all nominations by 09/13/24. Details of how to nominate a veteran for the award are included in the episode.
• Stay tuned for our next episode!

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net

https://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com  

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.aldonco.com

https://transportation.army.mil 

https://transportation.army.mil/museum/index.html 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest John Doggett  – Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business, Management Department. Together they discuss the state of the U.S. economy, inflation, debt, opportunities to improve, areas of growth, the potential impact of the upcoming presidential election, and what it all means for the rail industry. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% of all podcasts globally!
• Professor Doggett has won 14 student-selected “Outstanding Teaching” awards, the most of any current member of the UT Austin, McCombs facility.
• John created his own international management consulting firm where he focused on helping developing countries transform their economies to become more market oriented.
• You’ve got to look at the data regarding the U.S. economy objectively (Ugly Baby Glasses).
• The interest payments on our national debt are projected to be 170% of the GDP by 2054.
• There are ways to correct the path we’re on with national spending and debt, but the question is, will either party be willing to do what it takes?
• John believes that this is one of the most consequential presidential elections that we’ve had in the U.S., in terms of the direction of the country.
• LNG remains a strong market for U.S. exports.
• John is “bullish” on the rail industry. 
• Stay tuned for our next episode!

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net

https://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com  

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.aldonco.com 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Sarah Yurasko  – President of the League of Railway Women (LRW). Together they discuss the League of Railway Women, how the organization is a resource for women and companies in, as well as those supporting the rail industry. They also discuss all that LRW offers including mentoring programs, scholarships, awards, networking, education, a career center, and corporate partnerships. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• The American Railroading Podcast has broken into the Top 50 in our genre on Apple Podcasts!
• Sarah’s goal in college was to have a career in international law, until a college internship in transportation changed her mind.
• The League of Railway Women began in 1997 and was founded to support women not only in railroading, but also to be inclusive of women in companies that support the railroad industry.
• In 2018 the LRW board performed a review of the first 20 years with their members and determined that members wanted a greater focus on networking, education, and mentorship.
• At their 20-year anniversary in 2018 LRW had approximately 200 members. In 2024 LRW has over 2,700 members.
• LRW’s mentoring program was so well received that the initial enrollment maxed-out within 30 days of its launch date.
• The Career Center within LRW is exclusive to individual and corporate members.
• LRW’s networking events are available to LRW members and non-members alike.
• The LRW 2023 Railway Woman of the Year Award winner was Kari Gonzalez, President & CEO of MxV Rail.
• Stay tuned for our next episode!

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net

https://www.americanrailroadingstore.company.site 

https://www.therevolutionrailgroup.com  

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.railwaywomen.org 

https://www.aldonco.com 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Dave Ronzani – Director of Railcar Regulatory Compliance for AllTranstek. Together they discuss the enormous amount of regulatory oversight a certified tank car repair facility has from the DOT, PHMSA, FRA, BOE and AAR. They also discuss what it takes to receive and maintain a tank car repair facility certification including significant investment and training. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% Globally, downloaded in 41 countries!

Need a gift for Mom this Mother’s Day? How about American Railroading merch from our online store?

The amount of manuals a certified tank car repair facility must have on-hand is staggering and includes requirements from the DOT, FRA, BOE, AAR, tank car owners and more, which are all based on federal laws.

In general, a facility must be a certified tank car repair facility if they are making repairs above the tank car stub-sill.

Tank car owners should always verify that the facility making repairs to their tank car has the proper certification(s) under AAR MSRP, Section C-III, Appendix B.

Cleaning and transloading facilities considering making repairs to a tank car, should first check AAR MSRP, Section C-III, Appendix B to see if they must be certified to make those repairs.

The FRA not only has the ability to levy fines against those in violation of federal regulations and requirements, but they also have arresting powers and the ability to prosecute if they feel it is warranted. 

The process to receive and maintain a tank car repair facility certification once all manuals, equipment, personnel, and training are in place includes an audit and subsequent mandatory annual audits (by the FRA, BOE and AAR) which can cost as much as $60,000.00 for each full-service tank car repair facility annually.

The most common mistake Dave sees during internal audits he performs at certified tank car repair facilities is not following the car owner’s procedures.

Happy Mother’s Day!

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net/ 

https://americanrailroadingstore.company.site 

https://therevolutionrailgroup.com/ 

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.alltranstek.com 

https://www.aldonco.com 

Welcome to the 1-Year Anniversary episode of the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh, is joined by our very first guest of the podcast, Wendy Buckley, founder, president, and CEO of STARS HazMat Consulting. Together they discuss the importance of proper Hazmat training, understanding packing groups, placarding, and having the correct and current SDS. Wendy also provides updated information from the East Palestine, OH derailment from 02/03/23 regarding the remediation of the vinyl chloride, and what we can learn from it. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% Globally!
• Don announces the podcast’s new Platinum Sponsor, the Aldon Company!
• The American Railroading online store is live for you to get your American Railroading merch!
• Guest Wendy Buckley was the first guest ever on the American Railroading podcast.
• Wendy explains that Hazmat in transportation is defined as “Something that poses an unreasonable risk to health, safety and property in transportation”.
• Rail is the safest way to transport freight by ground in the U.S. There are over 1.6 billion tons of freight moved by rail each year, of which 1% is involved in a derailment, and .001% involves a release of materials.
• Wendy provides updated information on the vinyl chloride material release and remediation from the East Palestine, OH train derailment of February 3, 2023, and what we as an industry can learn from it.
• Don and Wendy discuss the importance of proper Hazmat training, understanding packing groups, placarding, and having the correct and current SDS.
• Wendy emphasizes the need for transloading companies to train their employees on the differences between railcars and trucks to help mitigate the risks during and after transloading, including pre-trip inspections.
• Be sure to listen to Don’s new closing statement for each episode called “My Two Cents”.

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net/ 

https://americanrailroadingstore.company.site 

https://therevolutionrailgroup.com/ 

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.starshazmat.com 

https://www.aldonco.com 

https://www.aar.org 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh, is joined by guest John Schmitter, co-founder and CCO of RailState based in Quincy, MA. Together they discuss the advantages of embracing and utilizing modern technology in the railroad industry, including sharing some stories of how far technology has come in railroading, and where there are still some needs. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10% Globally!
• The podcast has now been downloaded in 34 countries! 
• There are Platinum, Gold, and Silver Sponsorships available for the podcast.
• The American Railroading online store is live!
• Don shares his experience of having to create handwritten railcar inspections and BRC estimates on mobile railcar repair callouts and discusses how far technology has come.
• John gives his thoughts on some technological advances he’s seen in his 40 years in the industry.
• The Railroad industry invests a lot of capital in technology each year, despite not being regulated to do so.
• Other modes of freight transportation in the U.S. such as shipping, air and ground have greater access to network visibility than the railroads currently do.
• John feels that having greater visibility to the entire railroad network can help shippers, government agencies, ports and terminals, commodity brokers, and even first responders.
• Be sure to listen to Don’s new closing statement for each episode called “My Two Cents”.

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net/ 

https://therevolutionrailgroup.com/ 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.youtube.com/@americanrailroadingpodcast 

https://www.railstate.com 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this our first episode of Season 2, our host Don Walsh, is in fact our guest on this episode as President & CEO of consulting and brokering firm, The Revolution Rail Group based in Conroe, TX. Producer John joins Don on this episode, and together they do a brief review of each podcast episode from Season 1 along with their thoughts and audience feedback, after which Producer John then interviews Don and they discuss Don’s background in the industry, his thoughts on where the industry is headed in 2024, some hints on where the podcast is headed in Season 2, and Don shares some stories from his time in the field. Tune in to this first episode of Season 2 now to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• The American Railroading Podcast remains in the Top 10%!
• There are Platinum, Gold, and Silver Sponsorships available for the podcast.
• Wendy Buckley, President & CEO of STARS Hazmat Consulting, the first guest of the podcast, has agreed to be a guest for the 1-year anniversary.
• With a failure rate of .001%, the railroad industry is far safer than they’re often given credit for.
• Over 74,000 first responders have received FREE emergency Hazmat training by MxV Rail alone via a grant/scholarship since 1985 via their SERTC program.
• The railroad industry employs over 700,000 people and is a major contributor to the U.S. economy.
• U.S. Armed Forces veterans are estimated to outnumber non-veterans in the railroad industry by a 2 to 1 margin.
• The high interest rates and high cost of manufacturing, along with longer lease term requirements are impacting the railcar leasing industry.
• Our industry’s HM-216b tank car certified shop network simply doesn’t have the capacity to handle the amount of tank cars due for requalification in 2024 and 2025 without improved efficiencies and car owners planning far in advance.
• One of the new upcoming series on the podcast in Season 2 will be “Tech Talk”.

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net/ 

https://therevolutionrailgroup.com/ 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh, is joined by guest Tony Hatch, Senior Wall Street Transportation Analyst, Founder and President of ABH Consulting based in New York City, NY. Together they discuss railroading’s 2023 year in review, including everything from pending changes at the STB, to railroad safety and service improvements. Tune in to this final episode of Season 1 now to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on the American Railroading Podcast's official website at www.AmericanRailroading.net . Welcome aboard!

KEY POINTS: 

• Mr. Hatch is a graduate of Harvard University and has been a Sr. Analyst on Wall Street for over 20 years.
• Tony’s passion for railroading is only surpassed by his love of the L.A. Dodgers.
• Don and Tony discuss STB leadership changes announced in November 2023, and what can affect the decision of the new appointee in 2024.
• The Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern class 1 railroad merger in 2023 (now CPKC), may be the last one we see in our lifetime. Tony explains why.
• Class 1 railroad service has improved in 2023 but will always need to continuously improve as shippers’ expectations will continuously be raised.
• Tony gives a great explanation and breakdown of the well-publicized railroad labor contract negotiation in 2023, and what was nearly a labor strike…or was it?
• Class 1 railroads have been partnering with and even acquiring short-line railroads in 2023. Tony breaks down the “why’s” of these partnerships and acquisitions.
• The East Palestine, OH train derailment in February 2023 prompted many responses and calls for action and change. Tony shares his opinions on both.
• Tony shares his insight on the investment capital spending done by railroads in 2023 and beyond.
• Thank you all for joining us for Season 1 of the American Railroading Podcast! We wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2024 for Season 2!

LINKS MENTIONED: 

https://www.americanrailroading.net/ 

https://therevolutionrailgroup.com/ 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/dwalshX 

https://www.abhatchconsulting.com

https://www.railtrends.com