North County Transit District – San Diego Railroad

Pictured, from left to right: Diana Sorfleet and Riz Chand, CSX; Stephen Gardner, Telos Advisers; Jessie Lazarus, New York MTA; and Baker Alloush, NCTD. (Photographs courtesy of the respective organizations)
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People News: CSX, Telos Advisers, NYMTA, NCTD, KLW

CSX announces changes to its executive team. Also, a former Amtrak CEO joins Telos Advisers as a Strategic Advisory Board Member; New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) appoints the first chief of its new Rolling Stock Program; California’s North County Transit–San Diego Railroad (NCTD) appoints a facilities director; and Knoxville Locomotive Works (KLW) hires a Chief Commercial Officer.

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People News: HDR, NCTD

HDR promotes Brian Buchanan to Transit Program Management Lead. Also, North County Transit – San Diego Railroad (NCTD) promotes Ioni Tcholakova to Director of Service Planning.

Nicolas Petrovic as CEO of Brightline Holdings LLC (Courtesy of Brightline Trains)

People News: Brightline, UTA, NCTD, TriMet

Brightline Trains appoints Nicolas Petrovic as CEO of Brightline Holdings LLC and Mauricio Anderson as Chief Financial Officer of Brightline Holdings and its subsidiaries (other than Brightline West). Also, Paul Ray joins Utah Transit Authority (UTA) as Government Relations Director; Adrienne L. Johnson transitions to Deputy Chief People Officer at North County Transit–San Diego Railroad (NCTD) in California; and Jamie Snook rises to Executive Director of Capital Project Delivery at Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet).

“In 2021, the MTA was looking at a $2.5 billion annual deficit, but we have been able to get back on track thanks to the amazing support from Albany,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said Nov. 19 upon release of the agency’s final 2026 operating budget and four-year financial plan. “That support allowed us to stay afloat without cutting service, without any layoffs—and another major factor in this agency’s fiscal stability has been the cost savings that we’ve achieved in recent years.” (MTA Photograph)

Transit Briefs: NYMTA, KC Streetcar, NCTD, WMATA, DART

New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) releases its final 2026 operating budget and four-year financial plan. Also, KC Streetcar will soon reveal plans for the new northern terminus and CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City) Pavilion; North County Transit–San Diego Railroad (NCTD) and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) move forward on transit-oriented development projects; and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Board approves contracts to improve security and cleanliness systemwide.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Sept. 18 reported that Amtrak and the USRC Boards of Directors unanimously agreed to approve the terms of a renegotiated cooperative agreement restoring federal control of Washington Union Station. (Image Courtesy of the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation)

Transit Briefs: Amtrak/USRC, Transit Tech Lab, CTA, NJT, Sound Transit, NCTD

Amtrak and Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) agree to restore federal management of Washington Union Station. Also, Transit Tech Lab releases proof-of-concept results that address ridership improvement, plus inspection and maintenance challenges; Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) officially launches Naloxone Vending Machines pilot; New Jersey Transit (NJT) expands FARE-PAY cards to all three light rail systems and all buses; Seattle’s Sound Transit celebrates 25 years of Sounder commuter rail service; and Southern California’s North County Transit District (NCTD) is marking 50 years of service.

Alín Campián, R.J. Corman Railroad Group (left) and Steve Schmotzer, North American Rail Solutions. (Photographs courtesy of the respective organizations)
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People News: R.J. Corman Railroad Group, NCTD, NARS

R.J. Corman Railroad Group appoints Alín Campián as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Also, California’s North County Transit – San Diego Railroad (NCTD) promotes Jeffery Wymer to Director of Information Technology; and North American Rail Solutions (NARS) welcomes Steve Schmotzer as Chief Development Officer.