Platform Chats

In this episode of Platform Chats, host Walt Bleser sits down with Amanda Ciampolillo, Deputy Director of the Office of Environmental Program Management, and Karla Maffett, Deputy Director of Project Delivery, from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Together, they discuss the FRA's mission to enhance rail safety and efficiency through strategic partnerships and impactful investments. Amanda and Karla explore the FRA's grant programs, sharing valuable tips for securing funding, with a focus on the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which has significantly boosted rail funding. Both guests also share their unique career paths to the FRA, showing that success often comes from unexpected journeys. Fun fact: Amanda loves trains so much that a long-distance Amtrak ride smells like adventure!

This episode focuses on the collaboration between AREMA and the National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) to create a publication that complements the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering, Chapter 15 - Steel Structures by providing detailed guidance on design decisions for steel railway bridges. The guide, The AREMA/NSBA Guidelines for the Design of Steel Railroad Bridges for Constructability and Fabrication, aims to help engineers produce more economical and constructible designs. Walt chats with Jaclyn Whelan, Project Manager – Design at Conrail, and Brandon Chavel, Vice President – Bridges at American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), about their roles in developing the guide. They emphasize the importance of partnership and teamwork among various stakeholders, including engineers, fabricators, and contractors, to ensure the guidelines are comprehensive and useful for all experience levels. The guide covers topics from general railroad information to specific design details and construction methods, aiming to be a valuable resource for the industry.

The guide is now available for free download from both NSBA and AREMA .

In this annual episode, we’re diving into the transition between outgoing President Ray Verrelle (Vice President/Sr Project Director - East Region, HNTB) and incoming President Bill Riehl (Chief Engineer Structures, Genesee & Wyoming Inc.) Ray shares insights from his tenure, reflecting on his journey from civil engineering to leading AREMA and the challenges of maintaining engaging content. Bill, soon to take the reins, discusses his focus on enhancing member engagement, especially for frontline supervisors and underrepresented engineering disciplines like signals and electrical engineering. With the AREMA 2024 Annual Conference & Expo coming to Louisville this September, both highlight the event’s new format, emphasizing a commitment to adapting and meeting the evolving needs of their members in a changing marketplace. They also touch on AREMA's refreshed strategic plan. Exciting changes are ahead.

In this episode, Walt chats with Aaron Dean (Product Development Engineer, Advanced Rail Systems, LLC) and Nicole Anderson (Transportation Engineer/Student, PHMSA/Morgan State University). Aaron is one of AREMA’s Student Chapter Coordinators and a former President of one of AREMA’s first Student Chapters, the Railroad Engineering and Activities Club (REAC) at Michigan Tech. As well as being a doctoral candidate, Nicole is the current President of AREMA’s newest Student Chapter at Morgan State University. The Morgan State Chapter is AREMA’s first Student Chapter at an historically Black university.

They cover a wide range of topics related to the creation of Student Chapters. From the importance of industry champions and collaborators in launching a successful chapter to bringing in speakers and scholarship opportunities to sustain growth, it’s an episode that will make you want to go back to school or at least speak at one. If you’d like to speak at an AREMA Student Chapter, contact [email protected]. 

In this episode, Walt talks with Keith Bailey, Co-Founder of Articulated Intelligence, who you may recognize as the AREMA Annual Conference emcee. He helps people who have great ideas become better communicators. Keith shares strategies for effective communication emphasizing the power of stories. They are the gift we give to the audience. He also provides tips on making your presentation the most impactful for your audience, you are more than your slides. It’s an episode with practical advice, Dad jokes, self-reflection, and the power of the pause, you won’t want to miss it. Remember, your audience is rooting for you.

Keith Bailey can be reached at [email protected].

In this episode, Walt chats with Luv Sehgal (Senior Rail Engineer, ARUP). A native of India, Luv grew up surrounded by the world’s fourth-largest railway network, making it easy to fall in love with rail as a kid. He took that passion and propelled it into an accomplished engineering career. From winning the CEEAA Young Alumni Achievement Award presented by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to becoming a frequent presenter at the AREMA Annual Conference, he’s done a lot in his short career. The pair discuss what it’s like to compete for a job with the eighth largest employer in the world that only the top 50 applicants in the country have a chance with. Luv also shares advice for international students considering a career abroad; a world of unique challenges and opportunities in rail awaits them. Keep an eye out for this rising star; we’re sure you’ll hear his name often. 

This episode, Walt chats with League of Railway Women 2023 Railway Woman of the Year Kari Gonzales, President & CEO, MxV Rail. The pair discuss transitioning and rebranding MxV Rail (formerly TTCI) from an FRA-managed testing facility to the world’s premier advisory for the rail industry. They’ll also consider the value and importance of maintaining independent testing and research. Finally, we’ll discover what’s behind the name MxV Rail. Be sure to brush up on your Newtonian mechanics before listening to this episode.

Soft skills, that little extra something.…what does it take to match the right person to the right job in the rail industry? Hiring qualified employees is critical in the railroad industry, these two guests are at the forefront. Kevin Forrest, Talent Advisor at CSX, and Andrew Stahl, Founder of Stahl Recruiting, understand the ins and outs of the rail industry, what companies are looking for, and how to set yourself apart from the crowd. Railroading is a lifestyle and the whole person matters. Recruiting trends, the importance of a holistic fit in the workplace, and the efficiency of rail, this episode touches on it all. If you are interested in a career in the rail industry, you won’t want to miss it.

 After the episode, be sure to check out the Railway Careers Network to jumpstart your career in rail.

The AREMA 2024 Sustainability & Resiliency Symposium is almost here. On this first episode of Season 4 and the New Year, Walt chats with two key members of the event's success: Ned Bagniewski, PE, ENV SP (HDR), and Leo Thorbecke (TRC). The trio talks about some of the exciting changes in rail around sustainability, resiliency, and the events planned for the first-of-its-kind Symposium. Changes are here. Hop on board the Symposium before you get left behind.

We end 2023 with a look ahead to 2024. This episode, Walt chats with Ashley Wieland, President of The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) about their upcoming Conference in January 2024 and what’s in store for NRC in the future.  The duo discusses the safety resources NRC provides its members and the industry as well as its role in connecting industry professionals with policy makers. It’s important to be at the table so you don’t end up on the menu.
 
The NRC is a U.S. trade association that advances the mutual interests of railway contractors and suppliers who construct, keep, and supply railroads and rail-transit lines, creating a positive business climate. To learn more about the NRC, its membership, and upcoming events, please visit their website at www.nrcma.org.