News & Media

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

The Rail Dynamics Laboratory: A Fresh Look at Full-Scale Rail Testing

December 2024 – Railway Age

The article highlights the transformation and modernization of the Rail Dynamics Laboratory (RDL) at the Transportation Technology Center (TTC), a key facility for full-scale rail vehicle testing and safety evaluations. It details upgrades to major testing systems, such as the Simuloader and Mini-Shaker Unit, which enhance capabilities for structural durability, vibration analysis, and component performance. The article also showcases the RDL’s role in advancing rail safety through live demonstrations during the 2024 TTC Conference & Tour. These updates reaffirm the RDL’s importance in supporting the railway industry with state-of-the-art testing and research.

Custom Track Geometry Exceptions

November 2024 – RT&S (Railway Track & Structures)

In 2024, AREMA Committee 2 achieved a major milestone by updating Chapter 2 of the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering, modernizing its 213 pages to better address advances in track and infrastructure inspection technologies. This refreshed chapter includes guidelines for creating custom track geometry exceptions, distinguishing between “exceptions” and “defects,” and providing tools to address unique safety risks. The TTC played a key role in demonstrating these concepts, utilizing specialized test tracks like the Precision Test Track (PTT) and the High-Speed Adjustable Perturbation Test Track (HS-APTT) to simulate and address vehicle/track interaction challenges.

Partners of the TTC Awarded $84M in CRISI Grant Awards for Workforce Development and Research

October 30, 2024 – Pueblo, Colorado

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded partners of the Transportation Technology Center (TTC) more than $84 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Program funding.

ENSCO, Inc., the operator of TTC, is proud to support these partner organizations in fulfilling the FRA’s strategic goals: advancing railway workforce development and accelerating research for safety and sustainability.

2nd Annual TTC Conference & Tour Draws Hundreds of Attendees

October 29, 2024 – Pueblo, Colorado

Hundreds of railroad professionals from government, industry, and academia gathered in Pueblo, Colorado for the 2nd Annual Transportation Technology Center (TTC) Conference & Tour on October 22 and 23. Hosted by ENSCO, Inc. and Wheel Rail Seminars, the event featured two days of presentations, demonstrations, networking, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the world’s largest rail testing facility.

TTC Advances Heavy Haul Research and Safety

October 2024- International Rail Journal (IRJ)

The Transportation Technology Center (TTC) in Pueblo, Colorado, is advancing heavy haul railway research and safety through specialized testing and training facilities. It highlights TTC’s capabilities in dynamic vehicle testing, crash simulations, and emergency response training to address the evolving needs of rail operators worldwide.

Electrified Rail Vehicle Testing at the Transportation Technology Center

October 2024 – Railway Age

Electrification has been a long-standing method for propulsion energy for the rail industry. The first electrified line in the United States occurred 129 years ago on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s Baltimore Belt Line, which is now part of the CSX network. Today, electrification is one-of-many technologies to aid railways to meet greenhouse gas reduction emissions goals. The Transportation Technology Center (TTC) is focused to aid government agencies, railways, and suppliers in their continued journey into the sustainable future. This article discusses how the TTC is utilized for these types of vehicles and what is the current and future outlook for freight and passenger railway electrification.

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