Welcome to Global Rail Consulting | Global Rail Consulting

Collaborating with your team of experts, we equip your organization with essential skills, procedures and knowledge; enabling sustained success in your railway asset management

Our Expertise

Our seasoned team of Consultants and Engineers, with international expertise, deliver comprehensive support to the railway infrastructure industry across track components and business fields.

What we do

Track data acquisition

and management for design and implementation of enhanced, 360° predictive rail maintenance strategy

Track data acquisition

and management for design and implementation of enhanced, 360° predictive rail maintenance strategy

Track data management

through Business Intelligence using your existing software or commercial off-the-shelf software solutions

Track data management

through Business Intelligence using your existing software or commercial off-the-shelf software solutions

Digital transformation & Automation

Design and implementation of strategies and tools for track infrastructure asset management

Digital transformation & Automation

Design and implementation of strategies and tools for track infrastructure asset management

Wheel-rail interface analysis

to improve safety, riding comfort and life-cycle costs of wheel/rail

Wheel-rail interface analysis

to improve safety, riding comfort and life-cycle costs of wheel/rail

End-to-End track asset management

as a service for individual assets or even full scope

End-to-End track asset management

as a service for individual assets or even full scope

Turnout management

through the use of specific algorithms

Turnout management

through the use of specific algorithms

Technical audits

focused on sustainable use of environmentally friendly technologies and asset management procedures

Technical audits

focused on sustainable use of environmentally friendly technologies and asset management procedures

Ballast and subgrade management

based on your existing, recorded data

Ballast and subgrade management

based on your existing, recorded data

Root cause analysis

of recurring defects, early degradation, unsafe conditions of relevant assets of your track infrastructure

Root cause analysis

of recurring defects, early degradation, unsafe conditions of relevant assets of your track infrastructure

We do things differently

Our international consulting experts combine hundreds of years of track optimization experience with Business Intelligence tools to deliver sustainable information to you, useful for the problem at hand as well as for future decision making.

The Global Rail Group Advantage

Industry experts : A team of experienced, former track infrastructure technical managers, with on-the-job experience, bringing you first-hand expertise
Diverse perspectives : Balanced team of seasoned and young talent, ensuring a holistic perspective in all our solutions
International team : An international team, allowing us to bring global expertise & experiences to the table
Integrated Approach : Integrating railway specific knowledge with Business Intelligence to deliver sustainable solutions, in any specific environment
Motivated by the success of railway: Empowering you by transferring knowledge that makes a long-term impact, rather than only sharing information to solve short-term problems
Partners, not consultants : We are your partners who solve problems and develop solutions efficiently and using each other’s collective strengths
Partner network : Wide & global network of partners and experts that help us execute global tactics & ideas in a local context

Meet the team

Director of Consulting & Engineering
Jan Mys

Senior Expert Global Certifications & Regulations
Frank Buchmann

Senior Expert Data Architecture
Albert Hayr

Lead Technology Coordinator
Teever Handal

Senior Consultant
Xavier Rodriguez Somoza

Senior Rail Maintenance Specialist
Jack Lindquist

Senior Rail Maintenance Specialist
Jeff Schweisthal

Senior Consultant
Beatriz Alonso Vázquez

Director of Consulting & Engineering

Jan Mys

Work Experience

Global Rail Group since 2021
2020-2021 Infrabel, Head of Budgeting & General Manager
2018-2020 Infrabel, Deputy Director Asset Management & General Manager
2014-2019 Infrabel, Head of Simgular Assets

Education

MBA Vlerick School of Management,
Ughent
Civil Engineering Electro-mechanics Energyconversion

Languages

English
Dutch
French
German

Positions

ERA speaker for Conventional Rail TSI
CEN / CENELEC – Subgroup convener for working groups / TC256 SC1 secretary

Senior Manager

Klaus Liebwald

Work Experience

2023 – : Expert for infrastructure maintenance strategies; Interface Management (Global Rail Group)
2019 – 2023: Consultant Expert for operation and maintenance (DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH)
2012 – 2019: Specialist for track planning; technical consultant; specialist asset management (ÖBB)
1997 – 2012: Apprenticeship as mechanic (ÖBB); Journeyman track construction (ÖBB)

Education

Diploma in Industrial Engineering and Management (HTL-TGM
Railway- and civil engineering diploma (ÖBB)

Languages

Deutsch
English

Senior Manager

Andreas Oberhauser

Work Experience

Since 2021: Senior Manager at Global Rail Consulting and Knowledge Manager for Global Rail Group
2018 – 2021: Head of Department Track Infrastructure at Wiener Linien
2011 – 2018: Head of Staff Unit Infrastructure Inspection at Wiener Linien
2007 – 2011: Maintenance Process Manager Track at Wiener Linien
2003 – 2007: Research Fellow at Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)

Education

Dr. techn. (Ph.D.) in civil engineering; TU Wien

Languages

German
English
Italian

Publications

Stuart L Grassie, Andreas Oberhauser, Michael Ostermann, Bernhard Hinterndorfer, Werner Wehr, Philip Ali: Monitoring, understanding and maintenance of rail defects on a European metro system; 12th International Conference on Contact Mechanics and Wear of Rail/Wheel Systems (CM2022), Melbourne, Australia, 4-7 September, 2022;
M. Fracchia, R. Carlson, P. Steckler, A. Oberhauser, N. Leitao: Enhance the Environmental Performance of Railway Infrastructure; Procedia
Social and Behavioral Sciences

Positions

University lecturer for “Railway Maintenance” (Vienna University of Technology);
University lecturer for “Life cycle management and predictive maintenance” (St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences)

Memberships

CEN TC 256 SC1 WG18 DG15 Urban Rail Switches and Crossings;
CEN/CENELEC – Member of the Urban Rail Survey Group within the mandate M/486 of the European Commission;
Forschungsgesellschaft Straße – Schiene – Verkehr (FSV): Work Group Leader AA EB13 „Regional railways“

Awards

Federal Transport Award 2008 (“Staatspreis Verkehr 2008“) for Research project “Energy systems for TunnelThermics®“ for TU Wien and Wiener Linien;
Professor Julius Kar-Award for excellent studies at
BOKU Vienna

Senior Expert Global Certifications & Regulations

Frank Buchmann

Work Experience

Since 2023: Senior Expert of Global Certifications and Regulations for Global Rail Group

2020 – 2023: Head of Department “Train running simulation and trafficability studies” at Deutsche Bahn, DB Netz AG

2011 – 2020: Head of Department “Running Dynamics/Tonnage Rating Calculation” at Deutsche Bahn, DB Netz AG

2010 – 2017: CER Speaker for TSI Infrastructure, CER (Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies)

2007 – 2011: Interoperability Expert at Deutsche Bahn, DB Netz AG

German
English

Lead Technology Coordinator

Teever Handal

Teever has more than 38 years working experience in the rail industry. He spent 11 years with the Association of American Railroads at the Transportation Test Center helping develop vehicle dynamic simulation software, performing vehicle/track interaction and wheel/rail interaction research. He worked for a Progressive Rail Technologies providing truck performance and wheel impact detectors, and consulting on derailment analysis and vehicle/track interaction studies. Since 2014 Teever has been working for ARM in data analysis, as a wheel/rail interaction specialist, and technical expert in vehicle/track interaction. During his career he has provided assistance to clients in North America, Europe, Australia, Brazil, and India.

Senior Consultant

Raphael Marotta

More than 12 years of experience within Heavy Haul Railways, covering positions such as Railway Expert and Senior Engineer being responsible for vehicle/track interaction , track geometry monitoring as well as maintenance strategy. He also gives lectures at IPOG and is a researcher at Instituto Militar de Engenharia. Raphael joined Global Rail Group in 2023.

Senior Consultant

Xavier Rodriguez Somoza

Work Experience

Since 2022: Senior Consultant at Global Rail Consulting
2019 – 2022: O&M Engineer in charge of the maintenance phase of Liège Tramway PPP turnkey project at CAF
2012 – 2019: Track Maintenance and Works Manager for commuter, metro and tramway lines at RATP
2009 – 2012: Site Engineer at HSR project in Spain at Puentes y Calzadas Infraestructuras (civil engineering contractor)

Education

Msc. Civil Engineering
Universidad de A Coruña

Languages

Spanish
English
French
Portuguese
Italian

Consultant

Pablo Merayo

Work Experience

Global Rail Group (April 2023 – present)

Consultant focused on overhead lines
TRN Táryet (September 2020 – April 2023)

Development of linear infrastructure projects
Data analysis
Field works
Tendering, among others
C. & G. Carandini (May 2018 – July 2019)

Development of lighting projects (outdoor lighting and tunnels)
Analysis of new optics for possible product developments

Education

Msc. Civil Engineering (Urban transports)
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
Technische Universität München (TUM)

Language

Spanish
English

Senior Track Engineer

Brad Kerchof

Brad is currently working part-time for ARM/Global Rail Group with the emphasis on projects involving track maintenance and inspection and brings 42 years of work experience with two Class 1 railroads – Conrail and Norfolk Southern. His first 32 years were with Maintenance-of-Way, including assignments like Division Engineer in Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Birmingham, where he was responsible for track and bridge inspection, maintenance and development of capital programs. During his last 10 years with NS, he served as the Director of Research & Tests (track geometry testing, derailment investigation, wheel-rail performance research, mechanical and track failure analysis and materials testing).
Since 2012 he has been an annual presenter at the Wheel-Rail Interface conference.

Senior Rail Maintenance Specialist

Jack Lindquist

Jack Lindquist has a wealth of practical rail experience, spanning over 40 years. His work with ARM is primarily concerned with all quality issues related to rail profile grinding practices.
As a welder foreman, Jack was responsible for all aspects of project – scheduling, team training, quality control, troubleshooting and problem resolution, and contractor relations. In addition, his extensive background in heavy equipment operation provides the ARM team with a high level of expertise in operational safety of different types of large equipment.
ARM makes extensive use of his skills and experience as Senior Rail Maintenance Specialist. He is responsible for oversight of rail profile grinding operations, as well as implementing new wheel and rail profile maintenance and repair techniques incorporating the use of range vision (laser strobe and camera) optical measurement systems.

Senior Welding Specialist

Allen Pierson

Allen has been a member of AWS for 45 years and a member of Arema Committee 4 for 40 years. He has Certified AWS railroader welding practices, is an AWS visual weld inspector,and works as a Level 2 UT operator. For 40 years he worked on 3 railroads Penn Central Conrail Norfolk Southern. Allen is a welder instructor for ARM since 2014.

Senior Rail Maintenance Specialist

Jeff Schweisthal

Before joining ARM, Jeff worked for Loram Maintenance of Way Inc. for 15 years, operating and maintaining rail grinding equipment. Since joining ARM in 2005, he has managed turnkey rail grinding programs on many transit systems including San Jose (VTA), San Diego (Trolley), Edmonton Transit, Dallas (Trinity Railway Express), Boston (MBTA), SCRRA/Metrolink, BART, and others. His background in the operations and maintenance of rail grinding equipment enables him to determine the capabilities and assess the performance of various grinding units, and to effectively troubleshoot problems in the field.
He has an extensive knowledge of rail grinding pattern design, pattern application, grinding templates, optimized grinding speeds, and various QA/QC functions that impact grinding efficiency and performance. He has served as a General Superintendent, Grind Superintendent, Maintenance Lead and Operator of Loram Grinding Machines – in addition to experience with Special Grinder Projects and Grinder Overhauls.

Manager - Data Services

Sean Regehr

Sean has 10 years of railroad experience. He holds a degree in Civil Engineering and an M.Sc. in Transportation Engineering from the University of Manitoba, and is an active member of AREMA Committee 2.
He joined ARM/Global Rail Group in 2016.

Data Services Specialist

Casslynn Ennis

Work Experience

2021-2022: Summer Data Services Intern with Advanced Rail Management; 2022-present: Data Services Specialist with Advanced Rail Management /GRG

Education

Mechanical Engineering Technology (2022) – Red River College

Languages

English, French (minimal)

Data Services Specialist

Henry Kweens

Henry has 20 years professional experience with proprietary rail recognition software and on-rail specialized data collection. He is responsible for training of new team members and joined ARM/Global Rail Group in March 2003.

Data Services Specialist

Shane Kweens

Shane has been involved in data collection, data processing and analysis of various data types for the past 20 years with ARM/Global Rail Group. He uses this information to support railroad maintenance managers and internal grinding staff in planning corrective and preventive rail maintenance. He is also experienced in training internal and external clients on proprietary rail profile analysis software. Shane holds a Diploma in Business Administration and Marketing.

Field Specialist

Steve Gainey