Platform Chats

Platform Chats host Walt Bleser sits down with Metro-North President Justin Vonashek, who turned a last-minute career fair resume into leading one of the nation's busiest commuter railroads. The conversation centers on a key shift: railroads don't just move trains—they move people, and those people don't have time for delays. Vonashek highlights Metro-North's post-pandemic rebo...

The 50th episode of Platform Chats marks a milestone as host Walt Bleser sits down with Anamaria Bonilla, former Chief Engineer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Metro‑North Railroad, to reflect on a career shaped by AREMA and a shared commitment to doing the work the right way as part of North America's largest transportation network. Bonilla recounts her journey into rail enginee...

In this episode, host Walt Bleser sits down with Jared Hopewell, AVP, Communications & Signals at Norfolk Southern, and Jason Schroeder, Assistant Chief Engineer at CSX, to introduce what attendees can expect at the Communications, Signals & Information Technology (CS&IT) Symposium in Jacksonville, FL, March 3–5. The event will feature immersive field trips and presentations that cover...

In this special follow-up to the Emerging Technologies panel at the AREMA 2025 Annual Conference & Expo in Indianapolis, host Walt Bleser and panelists Doron Cohadier (RailVision) and Jason Schindler (Object Computing) continue the exploration of how artificial intelligence is transforming the rail industry. The conversation dives into the evolution of the panel and the real-world applications...

In this episode, host Walt Bleser chats with the two latest Watford Fellowship recipients, Matt Kirby, PE, MLE, M.ASCE, AVP/Director - Rail Public Projects & Programs at Michael Baker International, and Daniel Rappaport, Civil Engineer III – RLE at Chicago Transit Authority. The Watford Fellowship Program gives grants to two young rail or transit professionals for the Watford Conference, an in...

This episode, our host chats with Christopher Barkan, PhD, Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Director of RailTEC, and Peter Masson, Director at TRC and Chair of Technical Committee 13 – Environmental about the upcoming Railroad Environmental Conference (RREC) and the new Sustainability & Resiliency (S&R) Day. The collaboration through AREMA and the RREC aims to i...

In what has become an annual tradition, Walt sits down with the incoming and outgoing AREMA Presidents ahead of the AREMA Annual Conference & Expo.  Outgoing AREMA President William S. Riehl, III, PE, F.SAME (Genesee & Wyoming Inc.) reflects on a year of strategic partnerships, expanded member value, and the importance of steady leadership. He will be handing the reins to incoming Presiden...

This episode, Walt sits down with Theo Vallis, VP Commercial, Luminary Logistics Solutions, and President of The Railway Industrial Clearance Association (RICA), and Greg McComas, Senior Manager Dimensional Clearances, BNSF, and Chair of AREMA’s Clearance Technical Committee. The trio takes a 360-degree view of the world of clearances and the movement of high-visibility cargo across the North Amer...

In this episode of Platform Chats, Walt Bleser sits down with Kate O’Connor—Chief Engineer at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and member of AREMA’s Board of Governors—for a conversation that covers everything from 100-year-old bridges to modern-day megaprojects, and a little career wisdom in between.   Kate shares her journey from walking cables in New York to overse...

To mark Platform Chats’ 10,000-download milestone, we’ve flipped the script and the mic. For the first time, our regular host is the interviewee. In this episode, guest host (and previous guest) Keith Bailey, founder of Articulated Intelligence and MC of the AREMA 2025 Annual Conference, chats with Walt Bleser, President & CEO of ARE Corporation, and an occasional podcast host. Walt shares how...

Ditch the desk job—this Platform Chats episode takes us to Rwanda, where engineers swapped spreadsheets for socket wrenches and the cubicle for Kigali. Host Walt Blesser talks with Jim Costigan, PE, Senior Engineer – Field Services, Modjeski and Masters, and Erin O'Malley, PE, Bridge Engineer, HDR Engineering, about building a suspension bridge by hand with the local community through the org...

On this episode, host Walt Bleser celebrates the podcast’s 40th episode milestone by chatting about the importance of the League of Railway Women (LRW) . Joined by the new LRW President Lisa Tackach (Head of Marketing at the Railroad Construction Co), as well as LRW Members Andrea Neithold (Head of US Public and Government Affairs at CN) and Tiffany Wenrich (Marketing Director at Holland),  the ep...

This episode previews the AREMA 2025 Railroad Bridge Symposium, happening February 4-6 in Fort Worth, Texas. Guests Ron Berry, PE, General Director of Services at BNSF Railway, and Duncan Paterson, PE, of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AKA the Wizard of Steel), share what attendees can expect. Spoiler: it’s not just about bridges—it’s about life-changing bridges. With 40 presentatio...

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....

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 Fabr...

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. B...

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 doct...

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...

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-Champa...

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, w...

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...

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. Ch...

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 wit...

In this episode, Walt chats with the winners of the 2023 Dr. William W. Hay Award about their project “Merchants Bridge Main Span Trusses & East Approach Replacement.” Crossing the Mississippi River and originally built in 1890 by attorney turned engineer George Morisson, the Merchants Bridge is the second oldest bridge in St. Louis and has exceeded its design life. This innovative project was...

As seasons change, so do the terms of Association Officers. On this episode, Walt chats with outgoing AREMA President Trent Hudak, PE, Director Engineering Services, BNSF Railway, and incoming AREMA President, current Senior Vice President Ray Verrelle, PE, Vice President Engineering Services, Amtrak. The trio discusses the importance of goal setting when taking on a new role. How a one-year term...