About us

Industry knowledge, first-hand experience and expertise is our currency.

The global railway industry is undergoing the biggest transformation since its creation. Rapid development & growth on one hand and a substantial portion of the workforce approaching retirement & skill shortage on the other.

Global Rail Group is on a mission to empower the global railway infrastructure industry to function more efficiently by bringing together a team of knowledgeable & experienced railway industry experts who transfer their knowledge to build the next generation workforce.

Knowledge is at the very core of what we do, and what keeps us on track.
Railway Knowledge Is the Solution.

The Journey

Knowledge and expertise lie at the very heart of the railway industry.

Hence, an idea was born — to curate, preserve, and transfer specialist knowledge to contribute to the railway sector’s continued success and advancement.

Leverkusen, Germany

In 2017, a decision was made to establish the training division of an infrastructure machinery company as an independent entity, setting the foundation for Academy & Training

2017

In Hamburg, Germany, a sister company, dedicated to publishing specialist railway literature is set-up

2019

Global Rail Consulting is established in Vienna, Austria

2021

The training, publishing and consulting divisions are consolidated to establish Global Rail Group with the Vienna office as headquarters of the group.

2022

Geographic expansion into North America by acquiring Advanced Rail Management to the group and setting up Global Rail North America.

2023

Global Rail Group goes to market with Recruitment Services to support the industry in closing the workforce gap.

2024

Expansion of Recruitment Services and expertise into a new market, Turkey. After helping bring DRS Alliance to life in 2021, Global Rail Group joins DRS Alliance as a member.

The Vision

Become the go-to powerhouse of knowledge, information and executable expertise; that steers the future of the global railway infrastructure industry towards increased efficiency.

The Executive Team

CEO

Gabrielle Costigan
CFO

Viktoria Salzbrunn
General Manager, Global Rail North America

Adam Sohasky
Director, Global Rail Media

Detlev Suchanek

CEO

Gabrielle Costigan

Gabrielle brings 20 years of experience to Global Rail in a range of different industries such as Production, Technology and Manuacturing. She started her career in 1999 with a global, international consultancy company with headquarters in the United Sates.
Between 2007-2018, she then spent 10 years with an oil and gas super major, where she held numerous leadership positions in  Austria and the Middle East.
In 2018, she was the Managing Director of the first innovation hub in Vienna, Austria (weXelerate) which opened its doors in 2017. Gabrielle joined Global Rail Group as the COO in 2021.

Previous Experience

Since 2025: CEO – Global Rail Group

2021-2024: COO – Global Rail Group

2019-2021: Managing Director – AIK Energy

2019: Director of Innovation – The Blue Minds Company

2018: Managing Director – weXelerate Start Up Innovation Hub

2006-2018: Global/Regional Management roles – OMV in Technical Capital Projects and Production

1999-2006: Manager – Andersen Consulting/Accenture

Educational Background

˃ Business Administration (MBA), London

˃ Strategic Finance, Lausanne

˃ Manufacturing & Materials Engineering, Cranfield University, UK

˃ Civil Engineering, Sydney University

Publications

˃ Remediation of Homebush Bay – Toxic Waste and the Sydney Olympic Games 2000

Industry Positions & Memberships

˃ Member of the Management Board, Advanced Rail Management North America

˃ Founder, Chairperson & Board Member, Austrian Australian Business Council (AABC)

˃ Member, Board of Advisors Oil & Gas Council

 

CFO

Viktoria Salzbrunn

Viktoria has over 20 years of experience in  Management Accounting and Corporate Finance. She joined Global Rail Group in September of 2022.


2017-2022: Head of Group Accounting at TPA Steuerberatung GmbH
2009-2017: Manager Group Accounting and Consolidation lead for Peek & Cloppenburg Group Austria&CEE 

Education

Magister of International Business Administration from Vienna University of Economics

General Manager, Global Rail North America

Adam Sohasky

Adam has more than 14 years’ experience in Railway Track Management. Adam Joined Global Rail in September of 2023 as a Senior Technical & Business Development Officer. Adam Started his career in the Rail Industry in the Design & Construction department at CN Rail where he led the design, development, and implementation of capacity upgrades across CN’s network as well business development of Crude Oil Loop Train facilities, coal terminals and Frac Sand terminals. From there Adam moved onto track maintenance becoming a front-line supervisor responsible for the safe, efficient operation & maintenance of 300 miles of track; leading 50+ unionized employees. After that, Adam assumed the role of running CN’s Network Engineering Operations. Managing Rail Grinding & Milling, Ultrasonic Inspection, Lubrication & Welding across CN’s 19,000-mile track network.

Previous Experience

2022 – 2023:
Canadian National Railway Company – Senior Manager Rail & Testing
2017 – 2022:
Canadian National Railway Company – Manager Rail & Testing
2013 – 2017:
Canadian National Railway Company – Field Engineer April
2009 – 2012:
Canadian National Railway Company – Civil Engineering

Educational Background

Bachelor of Science – BS Civil Engineering Michigan Technological University

Publications

˃ Laboratory Evaluation of Gage Face Lubricants Using Disc-on-Disc Testing Mark D. Richards, PhD, EVRAZ NA and Adam Sohasky, Canadian National Railroad

Industry Positions & Memberships

˃ University lecturer for “Railway Maintenance” (Vienna University of Technology);

˃ University lecturer for “Life cycle management and predictive maintenance” (St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences)

˃ AREMA Committee 4 Subcommittee 4

˃ Friction Management, 8

˃ Nondestructive Testing of Rail & 9

˃ Railway, Grinding & Lubrication Michigan Technological University Rail Transportation Advisory Board, Vice Chair

Director, Global Rail Media

Detlev Suchanek

Detlev has more than 40 years of experience in the B2B media business and in the rail and public transport industry. From 1990 to 2017, he managed the Technology and Transport Division of the international DVV Media Group, including the media of Eurailpress, Railway Gazette International and Alba Urban Transportation. He has been an avid collector of worldwide documents on the history of railways and transport by rail for many years. Detlev is responsible for curating a knowledge base for media material and for media services. He was the founder of the predecessor company of today’s Global Rail Media in 2017.

Previous Experience

1990 – 2017:
Managing Director of Division Technologies and Transportation  in the DVV Media Group (Markets: Rail, Public Transport, Maritime Technologies) 

Since 1987 as Media Expert in the Rail and Public Transport Market

Educational Background

Study / States Examination in German, History, Philosophy; Study Marketing Communication

Industry Positions & Memberships

˃ Advisory Board member UEEIV

˃ Member Advisory Boards of the Puplication: EI, ETR, DER Nahverkehr; Rad-Schiene-Conference; 

Core Values

Our core values make us who we are, every day, day after day.

We are on a mission to shape the  future of the railway industry, and all our actions are rooted in our values.

Collaborative by Design

Collaboration multiplies impact. Whether working across borders or across disciplines, we collaborate openly. In our world, two minds aren’t just better, they’re transformative.

Collaborative by Design

Collaboration multiplies impact. Whether working across borders or across disciplines, we collaborate openly. In our world, two minds aren’t just better, they’re transformative.

Accountable to Impact

We take ownership of outcomes. We focus on what matters and stand by the quality of what we deliver.

Accountable to Impact

We take ownership of outcomes. We focus on what matters and stand by the quality of what we deliver.

Integrity in Every Step

We do what’s right, even when no one’s looking. In an industry built on precision and trust, integrity isn’t optional — it’s foundational.

Integrity in Every Step

We do what’s right, even when no one’s looking. In an industry built on precision and trust, integrity isn’t optional — it’s foundational.

Customer-foused, always

We listen, understand, and deliver solutions that create real value on and off the tracks, always.

Customer-foused, always

We listen, understand, and deliver solutions that create real value on and off the tracks, always.

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    Becoming the go-to powerhouse of knowledge, information and executable expertise; that steers the future of the global railway superstructure industry towards increased efficiency, increased safety and innovation.