September/October 2025 – Mass Transit
Trespassing remains one of the leading causes of rail-related fatalities in the U.S. In this column, Acacia Reber, Head of Brand Strategy & Engagement at ENSCO, outlines four best practices transit agencies can apply when adopting AI-enabled trespass detection and prevention strategies. Drawing from research conducted at the Transportation Technology Center, the article highlights how agencies can leverage AI for hotspot analysis, secure federal funding, prioritize high-impact interventions, and measure results over time. The piece underscores TTC’s continued role in supporting innovative safety research that makes rail corridors safer nationwide.
Gerhard “Gery” Williams is Executive Vice President, Service Delivery & Operations, serving in this role since July 2022. Gery leads an organization focused primarily on safely and reliably delivering Amtrak services to customers, operating and maintaining the company’s core railroad assets – including infrastructure and rail car and locomotive fleets – and driving process improvement and efficiencies across the Amtrak network.
Service Delivery & Operations (SD&O) consists of the Transportation, Mechanical, Infrastructure Maintenance & Construction Services (IMCS), Customer Service Stations, Onboard Services and Food & Beverage, California Operations, Operations Integration and Network Support functions.
Gery had served as Senior Vice President, SD&O, since January 2022 and was responsible for the newly created IMCS group, which encompasses engineering production and maintenance functions. He also led day-to-day core service delivery across the SD&O organization, driving continuous improvement to safety, customer service and productivity.
Prior to joining Amtrak in June 2017 as Vice President and Chief Engineer, he had spent almost three decades at CSX Transportation. Gery held a wide range of senior leadership roles, including Vice President, Mechanical Operations; Chief Mechanical Officer – Locomotives; AVP Network Operations – Locomotive Management; and Division Manager. In his last position at CSX as VP, Mechanical Operations, he reported to the Chief Operating Officer and directed a team of 3,800 employees responsible for the maintenance and repair of a combined fleet of 70,000 locomotives and rail cars. Early in his profession, Gery held various positions including trainmaster, manager of safety and terminal manager.
Across his long railroad career, Gery has consistently demonstrated collaborative and data-driven leadership and an ability to manage complex transportation, mechanical and engineering challenges successfully, with safety and efficiency.
Gery graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and Engineering. He also holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.

Executive Vice President,
Service Delivery & Operations