ENSCO - Transportation Technology Center

News & Media

See how ENSCO and its team members are impacting their industries and delivering innovative solutions to meet today’s surface transportation challenges.

Advancing Rail Safety Through Research: Current FRA R&D Initiatives at TTC

February 2026 – Railway Age

This article highlights the Federal Railroad Administration’s research programs conducted at the Transportation Technology Center to address evolving rail safety challenges. It covers track research such as rail integrity and longitudinal force measurement, rolling stock testing including tank cars and passenger equipment, and advancements in train control and human factors. The piece emphasizes TTC’s unique full scale testing capabilities and its role in supporting data driven standards and practical safety improvements across the industry.

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Understanding URFS Technology: Advancing Track Evaluation

January 2026 – RT&S

This article explains how ultrasonic rail flaw detection identifies internal rail defects before they lead to failures and describes the development of high-speed ultrasonic inspection systems. It outlines the engineering challenges involved in maintaining probe alignment, stability, and safe operation at higher speeds. The article also highlights TTC’s role in supporting ENSCO’s 50 mph ultrasonic carriage through specialized test tracks, blind validation testing, and technical support.

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Proving Ground for Progress

December 2025 – Railway Age

This article highlights the Transportation Technology Center as a national proving ground where rail technologies are tested, validated, and shared with the industry. Centered on the 2025 TTC Conference and Tour, it showcases research in hybrid propulsion, energy management, digital twin modeling, condition monitoring, derailment detection, and autonomous freight systems. The piece emphasizes how controlled testing, live demonstrations, and industry collaboration at TTC translate experimentation into practical safety improvements, stronger performance standards, and more resilient rail operations.

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ENSCO and Korea Railroad Research Institute Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Advance Global Railway Research and Innovation

December 2025 – ENSCO

ENSCO, Inc., operator of the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, Colorado, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) to expand collaboration in railway safety, technology, and innovation.

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Advancing Track Monitoring with Fiber Optics

November 2025 – RT&S

Freight railroads are operating longer, heavier trains than ever before—pushing track infrastructure to its limits. This article, authored by ENSCO and Oklahoma State University researchers in collaboration with the Federal Railroad Administration, examines how fiber optic–based track monitoring can deliver real-time insights into track support conditions. Testing at TTC’s High Tonnage Loop showed how Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors can continuously monitor rail performance and detect early signs of deterioration. The study demonstrates TTC’s unique value as a national testbed for advancing predictive maintenance and resilient freight infrastructure.

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Improving Rail Operations Using AI and Machine Learning

October 2025 – Railway Age

Trespassing along the rail corridor remains one of the most persistent safety challenges facing railroads today. In this feature, Samantha Kirkpatrick, Senior Data Scientist at ENSCO, explores how artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can identify and predict trespasser hotspots using anonymized mobile data. Testing at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) provided a controlled environment to validate these models and demonstrate their potential to inform proactive prevention strategies. The article highlights TTC’s critical role in enabling real-world safety innovation and data-driven solutions for the rail industry.

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Meet Our Keynote Speaker

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.

Gery M. Williams III

Gery M. Williams III

Executive Vice President,
Service Delivery & Operations