GEAPS Exchange 2022 – Railroad Safety and Rail Car Mover Operations
Session Description
Many rail customers have never been properly trained to work with rail equipment, merely expected to because of their product(s). With OSHA work related fatalities at around 13 people everyday in the US, this session will demonstrate how the railroad works around the equipment through examples of communication, procedures, and safe work practices all while building a Safety Culture. The training provided can prevent injury, accidents and possibly derailments from happening. The presenter is an everyday railroader with more than three decades’ experience in switching and locomotive operations.
Meet The Speaker
Steven Fy
Superintendent Training Services and Operating Practices
Northern Plains Railroad Inc
Mr. Fry has over 31 years of experience in the railroad industry. He began his career with the Soo Line/Canadian Pacific Railroad as a brakeman out of St. Paul MN in 1990. Mr. Fry worked his way into the Conductor role, then promoted to Locomotive Engineering 1992 and worked as Engineer and Engineer Instructor until he was promoted to a Road Foreman of Engines in 2011. While Road Foreman of Engines, Mr. Fry’s responsibilities were to oversee training of newly promoted locomotive engineers, the re–certification of current engineers, and learn and instruct new railroad technologies such as Distributed Power, Positive Train Control and Remote Control to name a few. A few years later, Mr. Fry then assumed the role of Division Trainmaster with the Canadian Pacific Railroad on one of the busiest corridors between Canada and Chicago, where he was responsible for the safe and efficient handling of trains and rail cars while ensuring everyone followed the rules and worked safely. In 2016, Mr. Fry joined the Northern Plains Rail Companies as Manager Business Development and Operations. In 2017 he took over the Rail Safety Training role where he helped create and deliver our FRA approved Rail Safety Course to our customers.The Rail Safety course includes how to properly operate switches and derails, freight rail car and track inspection, air brake system on a rail car, proper car securement, switching operations and locomotive/shuttle wagon/ track mobile operation. Mr. Fry leads our Rail Safety Training as well as training for other railroads such as GCOR, Air Brake and Train Handling, Distributed Power, timetable and special instructions, engineer and conductor recertification, conductor new–hire, loop track train operation and Positive Train Control.