Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems expands

Valley Forge, Pa. — To accommodate growing client needs, Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems (GFT&RS) expanded teams in the U.S. and Canada. GFT&RS is a North American leader in transit and railroad track, signal, communication, catenary, and electric traction design.

Robert Rockefeller joins GFT&RS as a senior project manager in track design. Working out of the Phoenix and Fairfax, Va. offices, Rockefeller leads the development of heavy and light rail design guidelines criteria, and standard drawings track systems and major track extensions, as well as performing in-depth reviews of existing site conditions and developing design drawings and specifications for trackwork. He also leads the development of rail destressing procedures and track undercutting guidelines. Rockefeller holds a master of science in transportation engineering management from George Washington University and a bachelor of science in civil engineering from The Citadel.  

Joining GFT&RS in its Baltimore office, is Brett Haas, senior systems specialist. Haas provides high-level analyses of system-wide networks and performs site surveys and functional network analysis of client systems. In this role, he also provides support for various phases of rail and transit projects ranging from design, field construction support, testing and systems integration. Haas holds a bachelor of science in electrical engineering, control systems emphasis, from The Pennsylvania State University.

In the Lebanon, N.H., office, Kristen Lehman serves as an engineering technician. Lehman is responsible for assisting engineers and analysts with computer modeling and simulation projects for railroads, urban rapid transit systems, and light rail with emphasis on electrified networks. She holds an associate of science in graphic design from Hesser College and an associate of science in computer information technology from Southern New Hampshire University.

In Los Angeles, GFT&RS welcomes Senior Systems Designer Bertram Langer. With in-depth experience in the electrical and instrumentation disciplines, Langer provides facilities and systems engineering, construction management, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), and start-up/checkout of electrical power and control systems for transit and industrial facilities projects. Langer holds a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from the New York Institute of Technology.

Stephen Wilson also joins the Los Angeles office as a systems integration manager experienced in power substations; overhead contact systems; power distribution transformers; and power return, centralized control, and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Wilson brings his experience in automatic train protection (ATP) signals all light rail transit (LRT) systems, with familiarity in associated systems to the team.

Construction Manager James Sgro, CCM, is a welcome addition to the team in the Mt. Laurel, N.J., office. With experience in reconstruction, rehabilitation, and upgrades to various rail facilities; installation of communication systems, closed-circuit television (CCTV) systems with remote viewing and operating capabilities, as well as fiber-optic cable, and security systems, Sgro provides supervision of technical personnel, coordination of construction activities and scheduling and cost estimation.

Richard Duncan, P.Eng., joins the Toronto office as the lead signal engineer for the Metrolinx Electrification Program. Richard’s responsibilities on the project focus on ensuring that the key deliverables required by the client meet technical and quality expectations and are provided on time. Key GFT&RS technical resources in Toronto and other Gannett Fleming offices are leveraged to provide drawings and plans, specifications, technical reports, construction cost estimates and project execution recommendations. Additionally, Richard leads a team providing oversight of procurement, installation, testing and commissioning during the implementation phase of the project. Richard is a registered professional engineer in the province of Ontario and received his bachelor of science in electrical engineering from the University of New Brunswick. Richard also holds a master of business administration from McGill University.

Richard Keimel, P. Eng., has been named senior systems engineer for the Toronto office. Keimel deploys high standards of technical practice in systems engineering, including having a working knowledge of relevant standards. He leads development and management of requirements on projects, as well as the development and use of system architectures. Keimel holds a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from Queen’s University.

Michael Malvar, CTech, joins GFT&RS as a rail operations analyst in the Toronto office. In this role, Malvar conducts in-depth technical analyses of railroad operations, including rail simulation modeling, infrastructure planning, operating plan development and evaluation, rail rolling stock performance evaluation in simulation and signal block layout, conceptual design for overhead contact systems (OCS), control line design for light rail transit (LRT), heavy rail rapid transit, commuter rail, freight rail, and mixed-use applications. Malvar holds a master of business administration in finance from the National College of Business & Arts, as well as a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the Mapua Institute of Technology.

The Toronto office also grows with the addition of John Ycas, P. Eng., PMP, traction power engineer. Leading the development of design approaches and concepts, Ycas performs specific engineering studies and design analyses, assists with the establishment of budgets, cost estimates, and project schedules, performs on-site inspections during construction and coordinates design requirements with contractors and equipment suppliers. Ycas holds a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto, a management certificate from Humber College, and is a Project Management Institute certified Project Management Professional.

“Gannett Fleming is experiencing tremendous growth in our Transit and Rail business as evidenced by the quality and strength of our hiring,” remarked Bryan Mulqueen, PE, Gannett Fleming senior vice president and director of the Transit and Rail Global Business Line. “Clients appreciate the value and industry leading expertise our teams deliver to help them achieve their goals.”

Gannett Fleming Transit & Rail Systems (GFT&RS), a division of Gannett Fleming, provides multidiscipline consulting engineering with many years of successful project experience serving private and public clients. GFT&RS offers the transit and rail industry one of the top resources for catenary, signaling and train control, telecommunications, track, traction power, and rail operations.