Transit
Safety Management's Professional Staff
Susan
Madigan – Founder and Principal of Transit Safety
Management, Susan Madigan has over 25 years experience in rail safety
and operations. (see resume)
James
Stoetzel – Senior Railroad Manager, James Stoetzel
has over 30 years of management experience in the railroad industry.
He has extensive experience in both freight, and commuter rail services,
including holding numerous executive level positions. (see
resume)
Thomas
White – Senior Operations Specialist, Thomas White
has over 35 years of experience in railroad operations, including over
20 years in operations management and traffic control and over 10 years
in infrastructure design, service and operations planning, and capacity
analysis. Author and lecturer. (see resume)
Susan
Madigan
Summary of Experience
Founder and Principal of Transit Safety Management, Susan Madigan has
over 25 years experience in rail safety and operations. Significant
accomplishments include:
1994
– Present
Transit Safety Management, Inc. — Principal
• Provision of Safety Manager’s responsibilities for
the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company, the contract
operator for the MBTA commuter rail system in Boston MA. Responsibilities
include development and delivery of regulatory and contract compliant
safety programs (e.g., Locomotive Engineer Certification
Program, Drug & Alcohol Testing Policy and Programs,
Emergency Preparedness Plan, Test & Observation Program, Accident
Investigation Program, System Safety Program Plan, System
Security Plan, etc.).
•
Development, for the Federal Railroad Administration, of model training
program for the training of train dispatchers. Included
within this work was an analysis of stress factors impacting
train dispatchers and ways to remedy these factors.
•
FRA research project on locomotive access/egress, including suggestions
for improvements for access/egress by railroad crew members
and emergency responders.
•
Development and revision of System Safety Program Plans (SSPPs) for:
- MBTA Commuter Rail Service, Boston, MA
- North County Transit District “Coaster” Service,
San Diego, CA
- Altamont Commuter Express “ACE” Service, Stockton,
CA
- Trinity Railway Express Service, Dallas, TX
- Triangle Transit Authority Service, Raleigh-Durham, NC
(service still in development)
- Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Streetcar, San Pedro, CA
•
Technical advisor to a sub-group of the APTA Passenger Rail Equipment
Safety Standards (PRESS) Task Force, addressing emergency access and
exit, emergency lighting and power, communications and maintenance of
equipment, fire safety and other safety standards.
•
Development of safety and FRA regulatory compliance programs, including
drug and alcohol testing programs, locomotive engineer certification
programs, emergency preparedness programs, rulebook for
streetcar operation.
•
Development of petition to waiver certain federal regulations and request
for shared use submitted to FRA for the historic streetcar
operation in the Port of Los Angeles.
•
Evaluation of viability of rail options for the Cape Cod Transit Task
Force as part of the Cape Cod 5-year Transportation Plan.
•
Safety and FRA regulatory compliance audits of several commuter rail
services, including Dallas’ Trinity Railway Express,
the South Florida Tri-Rail service and the Stockton, CA ACE service.
•
System-wide operating and mechanical department safety audit of the
Buenos Aires, Argentina subway and several commuter railroad lines.
•
Safety oversight officer for ultrasonic rail testing over MBTA transit
lines in Boston.
1990
– 1993
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) — Operating
Practices Safety Inspector Responsible for the assurance of safe operating
practices on both freight and passenger railroads and compliance with
Federal safety regulations governing operating practices. Territory
included Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York,
New Jersey, and all of the New England states. As a federal safety inspector,
duties included:
• Daily monitoring of railroad operating practices.
•
Assessment of safety plans and the conduct of safety and regulatory
information sessions for railroad personnel.
•
Development of comprehensive drug and alcohol training programs for
other FRA personnel and participation in the program as a trainer.
•
Periodic system assessments and safety auditing of rail properties.
1987
– 1990
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK) — Manager of
Operations
Responsible for all terminal activities at North Station, the railroad
terminal for the Boston North commuter rail service. Responsible for
the safe and efficient movement of almost 200 daily commuter trains,
maximizing on-time performance for a system carrying in excess of 30,000
daily riders; the scheduling of commuter equipment and operating crews
for revenue service and maintenance; adherence to safe operating practices;
and the evaluation of train and engine crews for compliance with railroad
safety and operating rules.
1981
– 1986
Boston and Maine Railroad — Train Dispatcher, Chief Train Dispatcher
Responsible for the management of commuter, intercity passenger and
freight trains across the Boston and Maine and, subsequently, the Guilford
Rail system, which included the Maine Central railroad and the Delaware
and Hudson railway.
Education
MBA, Suffolk University, Boston, MA
BS in Management, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
Professional
Affiliations
American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Active
member of the APTA System Safety Sub-Committee, APTA Rail Safety Committee
http://www.apta.com
Operation
Lifesaver (OL) Certified Operation Lifesaver Presenter; currently
serving as the
Chairman of the Board of Directors for Operation Lifesaver in Massachusetts.
http://www.oli.org
Railroad
Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC)
http://rsac.fra.dot.gov/ASP/AboutRSCA.asp
System
Safety Society (SSS)
http://www.system-safety.org
Transportation
Research Board (TRB) Active member of the Human Factors Sub-Committee.
http://www.TRB.org
Women’s
Transportation Seminar (WTS) Active member since 1985.
http://www.wtsnational.org
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James
Stoetzel
Summary of Experience
James Stoetzel has over 30 years of management experience in the railroad
industry. He has extensive experience in both freight, and commuter
rail services, including holding numerous executive level positions.
His significant accomplishments include:
2004
– Present
Transit Safety Management, Inc. — Senior Railroad Manager
• Currently
providing technical assistance in a competitive bidding process for
the contract to maintain Government of Ontario (GO) Transit’s fleet of locomotives and bi-level commuter rail
coaches. This is a repeat engagement for services provided in
1995-96 when GO’s contract was first put out for bid.
• Responsible
for performing a structural and performance assessment of San Joaquin
Regional Rail Commission’s (SJRRC) Altamont Commuter
Express (ACE) commuter rail operation between Stockton and San Jose,
CA. Also assisted SJRRC in updating ACE’s System Safety
Plan and Passenger Emergency Preparedness Program.
• Responsibility
for performing a readiness assessment to evaluate
Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon’s (TriMet)
preparations and implementation planning for a new start commuter rail
service which, will run between Beaverton and Wilsonville, OR. This
project features a cross-platform transfer to TriMet’s heavily-utilized
MAX light rail service and the use of newly-developed, FRA-compliant
diesel multiple units (DMU’s).
• Responsible
for developing policy guidance to the commuter rail industry in the area
of level boarding compliance. This work is being done
for FTA.
2003
– 2004
Connex Railroad — President
• Responsible for Connex’s participation in the operation
of the Boston commuter rail system. Connex is the majority owner of
the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR), which operates
this 460 train-a-day system under the terms of a 5-year, $1.1 billion
contract with the Massachusetts Bay Tranist
Authority (MBTA).
• Served
as Connex’s principal representative to MBCR and the
MBTA as a member of both MBCR’s Board of Directors and Executive
Steering Committee. He was also responsible for the development and
growth of Connex’s railroad business in North America.
• Developed
Connex’s winning proposal to take over operator services
for Los Angeles’ Metrolink Commuter Rail Service.
2000
– 2003
Connex North America — Vice President Contract Operations —
Rail
• Responsible for the development and implementation of new transportation
service contracts and businesses for Connex North America, a wholly
owned subsidiary of CGEA Connex. CGEA Connex is one of the largest providers
of contract public transportation services in the world.
1988
– 1991, 1995 – 2000
Transit Safety Management, Inc. — Rail Industry Consultant
• Directed the operational and rolling stock elements of a new
Commuter Demonstration Project in the Seattle, WA area. This project
was intended to demonstrate how the Regional Transportation Authority
(RTA) for the Puget Sound Region could organize, mobilize and provide
a commuter rail service using existing freight trackage. This demonstration
was the forerunner of the Sounder Commuter Rail Service.
•
Directed mobilization and operations implementation for Dallas’
Trinity Railway Express commuter rail system. Responsibilities included
scheduling, training of operating personnel, and management planning.
•
Directed mobilization and operations implementation for Stockton, CA’s
Altamont Commuter Express system. Responsibilities included scheduling,
training of operating personnel, and management planning.
•
Performed operations, safety and equipment maintenance analyses of South
Africa’s four major commuter rail systems: Johannesburg, Capetown,
Durban and Pretoria.
•
Drafted a new maintenance contract for GO Transit for use in acquiring
equipment maintenance services for Toronto’s commuter rail system.
Assisted GO in the transition to the new equipment maintenance contractor
and the implementation of their system safety plan and the structuring
of the agency/ contractor relationship governed by the new contract.
•
Participated in a restructuring study of the Hungarian State Railways
(MAV). Responsibilities in this study involved the refocusing of MAV’s
investment program to more closely reflect operational needs and economic
reality.
•
Developed a Service Implementation Plan for the Los Angeles-Oceanside
segment of the Metrolink commuter rail system.
•
Responsible for the development of the operational, rolling stock and
fare collection elements of the first new start commuter rail system
in the United States, South Florida’s Tri-Rail System. Served
as the first Executive Director of the functioning system after start-up.
1991
– 1994
Burlington Northern Railroad — Director of Suburban Operations
• Responsible for the operation of the Burlington Northern’s
Chicago commuter rail service carrying over 50,000 riders a day on one
route.
•
Oversaw a reduction in employee injuries by 60% while increasing fare-box
revenues to exceed operating expenses.
•
Successfully managed the operating contract between Burlington Northern
and Metropolitan Rail (METRA), the public agency with the overall
responsibility for Chicago’s
commuter rail service.
•
Project Manager for the BN’s first international commuter rail
venture, the privatization of the subway and commuter rail system in
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
1987
– 1988
Guilford Industries — Vice President, Transportation
• Responsible for freight rail operations for three railroads,
the Maine Central, the Boston and Maine, and the Delaware and Hudson,
with annual revenues in excess of $300 million.
•
Oversaw the successful consolidation of operational and maintenance
activities on these properties.
1983
– 1987
Boston and Maine Railroad — General Manager, Commuter Service
• Full operational responsibility for this 300 train-a-day service,
which encompassed nine lines, almost 100 stations and 300 route miles.
Within the general manager’s jurisdiction was a work force of
1000 employees, an annual operating budget of $60 million and an annual
capital budget of $25-40 million.
Education
BS, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY
MA, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
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Thomas
White
Summary of Experience
Thomas White has over 35 years of experience in railroad operations,
including over 20 years in operations management and traffic control
and over 10 years in infrastructure design, service and operations planning,
and capacity analysis. Significant projects include:
1997
– Present
Transit Safety Management — Senior Operations Specialist
•
New Starts Planning and Implementation
Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor (Washington, Oregon, British
Columbia)
Responsible for infrastructure and operating plans, improving trip times,
analysis of characteristics of proposed coaches and locomotives, service
implementation program and revenue and expense projections to accompany
planned service expansion and increased speeds for intercity, commuter
and freight service between Portland, OR and Vancouver, BC through Seattle,
WA.
Mexico
City-Huehuetoca Commuter Railroad (Mexico)
Responsible for infrastructure and operating plans, vehicle specifications
and trackage rights agreement for the development of a new 500,000 passenger
a day commuter rail service on heavy density freight lines serving Mexico
City.
•
Infrastructure Planning
Development of infrastructure plans and capital improvement programs
to increase capacity for:
- Port of Tacoma, WA
- Port of Portland, OR
- King Street Station, Seattle, WA — anticipated growth from 10
to 70 daily trains due to Pacific
Northwest Rail Corridor and Sounder trains
- Vancouver Passenger Terminal, British Columbia
- Seattle-Vancouver Intercity Passenger Service (Pacific Northwest Rail
Corridor)
•
Operations Planning/Feasibility Analyses
Development of operations plans, equipment and crew scheduling software
and commuter/intercity passenger rail feasibility analyses for a number
of clients and service applications, including:
Washington
State DOT
- Everett-Lakewood Commuter/Intercity Services
- Seattle-Spokane Intercity Service
Metrorail,
South Africa
- New operating plan for Durban Commuter Rail Service
•
Operational Evaluations and Assessments
In-depth assessments of operating procedures, practices and performance
for several rail systems, including:
- Sound Transit — Evaluation of train operating practices for
the new Sounder service in Seattle,
Washington.
- Chicago Planning Study — Evaluation of train dispatching and
operating practices and relationship
to congestion and delay in the Chicago rail complex.
- Metrorail, Johannesburg, South Africa — Analysis and evaluation
of traffic control methods and
equipment; development of recommendations for significant
staff reduction.
- Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor — Evaluation of schedule performance
for Seattle-Portland
passenger service and development of performance improvement
programs.
- Alaska Railroad, Anchorage, Alaska — Evaluation of train dispatching
practices.
•
Publications, Lectures & Training Programs
- Elements
of Train Dispatching, Vol. 1
General railroad operations book
- Elements
of Train Dispatching, Vol. 2
Railroad operations planning and management book
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Lectures on railroad infrastructure for Global Trade and
Logistics Program
- Institute for Railway Systems Engineering (Germany)
Lecture on North American railroad operations
- Planning
Railroad Operations – Single Track
Railroad operations management training simulation program
1976
– 1996
Burlington Northern / Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad
•
Central Puget Sound Commuter Rail Demonstration, Seattle, WA —
Developed operating plans, service schedules and freight train interface
for a five-month commuter rail demonstration project between Everett
and Tacoma, WA. This demonstration was the predecessor of the current
Sounder commuter rail service, which serves the same region. Also responsible
for daily service monitoring during this program.
•
Analyses of adding commuter rail onto existing freight lines in Vancouver,
BC, Dallas-Fort Worth, Kansas City and Denver.
•
Analyses of introducing high speed passenger trains onto existing freight
lines between Portland, OR and Vancouver, BC and Dallas and Houston,
TX.
•
Sixteen years of hands-on railroad operations experience as an Operator,
Train Dispatcher and Chief Train Dispatcher.
1967
– 1975
Served in various field operations positions (e.g., Operator, Train
Dispatcher, Chief Train Dispatcher for several railroads including the
Baltimore and Ohio, the Southern Pacific and the Milwaukee Road).
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