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Platform Chats
The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) is the leading professional association for railway engineers working together to further the development and advancement of both technical and practical knowledge in the railway industry. Come “roll with AREMA” as we chat with Members from every aspect of the Association. Each episode will contain entertaining and informative stories from our members about their time in the Association and how it has advanced their careers. Hosted By: Walt Bleser, PE, President, ARE Corporation. Information on the railway industry is provided as a service to our members but does not represent an endorsement. Subscribe to your favorite listening service to get episode notifications.
Episodes
38 episodes
Rails to Success: Navigating FRA Grants and Funding
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 Administ...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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51:43
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From Concept to Construction: A New Guide for Steel Railway Bridge
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 guidanc...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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38:16
AREMA Leadership Transition: Insights from Ray Verrelle and Bill Riehl
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.) ...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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35:35
Engineering Collaboration: How AREMA Student Chapters Shape the Future of Rail
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 an...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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39:44
Mastering Communication with Keith Bailey
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 eff...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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45:37
Rails and Rising Stars: A Journey with Luv Sehgal
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 prope...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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33:17
Meet the 2023 Railway Woman of the Year, Kari Gonzales
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 th...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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52:40
2024 Hiring Trends
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, ...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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43:41
A Sneak Peek at the AREMA 2024 Sustainability & Resiliency Symposium
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 ...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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34:39
What Does NRC Have in Store for 2024?
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 i...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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36:41
2023 Hay Award Winners Discuss Merchants Bridge
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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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43:34
Setting Goals and Leveraging Opportunities for Success
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 ...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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40:40
The Impact of Association Memberships
On this episode, Walt continues his exploration of other Associations with Nate Irby, Executive Director of the Railway Tie Association (RTA). They consider the impact Association membership can have on a career, especially for a young professi...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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51:03
Meet Tony Hatch, Rail Industry Icon
On this episode, Walt chats with rail industry icon Tony Hatch, Senior Transportation Analyst, ABH Consulting. With over 30 years of experience as an independent transportation analyst, he wants to change the dynamics of railroads and the curre...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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45:12
The Importance of the American Short Line
We are back after a brief hiatus with a question. What do you know about short lines and other regional railroads? There’s more to rail than the cross-country trek; short lines represent a crucial, somewhat unknown, part of North American infra...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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48:10
What are the AREMA Functional Groups?
What exactly are the AREMA Functional Groups? What role do they play in shaping the content we see at the Annual Conference and in our Manuals? In this episode, Walt sets out to answer those questions and others with two of the newest Functiona...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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40:12
Sustainability in the Railroad Industry
In this first episode of the new year, host Walt Bleser chats with Dava Kaitala and Mark Coleman, two active Committee 13 – Environmental committee members about sustainability in the railroad industry. Dava Kaitala is the National Class 1 Rail...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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41:17
International Opportunities in the Rail Industry
On this episode, Walt chats with AREMA members James Michel (Railway Safety and Risk Management Consultant) and Thomas Cornille (Independent Consultant and former Watford Fellow), two members of the US Watford Committee as they share their expe...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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41:13
Student Resources and Career Paths
Are you a student looking to find your career path? While you may not have even considered railroading, let us put it on your radar. Many of the engineering (yes, even civil), technical, and communications fields apply to the railroading ...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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42:59
Recap of the AREMA 2022 Annual Conference
The AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo has come and gone, but not without talking to the two major players in making sure the event goes off without a hitch. On this episode, we talk to AREMA staff, Beth Caruso, IOM, CAE, Executive D...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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41:27
First Look into the AREMA 2022 Annual Conference
The AREMA 2022 Annual Conference & Expo is almost here! On this episode, Walt chats with two members who play key roles in the success of the event. Mike Freeman, PE (Union Pacific) is President of the AREMA Board of Governors and Joe Bamer...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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38:18
The Importance of Committee Work and Leadership
On this episode, Walt chats with Frank Miller, PE (AECOM), and Kevin Hicks, PE (TranSystems) two outgoing members of the Functional Group Board of Directors, the group that manages the technical committee operations for AREMA. Between them, the...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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41:58
Non-Traditional Careers Paths to the Rail Industry
It’s a family affair on this episode as host Walt Bleser chats with two generations of AREMA members about the different paths they took to a career in civil engineering. William “Bill” Riehl, III, Chief Engineer Structures, Genesee & Wyomi...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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37:24
Rebranding in the Rail Industry
Does the railroad industry have an identity issue? How do employers rebrand post “The Great Resignation”? How can railroads of all types draw the best talent when faced with fierce competition from tech and other areas of transportation? In thi...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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44:48