Amtrak announces it has named Bruce Pohlot as the new chief engineer and Tom Quigley as general manager, State-Supported Services. Both will report directly to DJ Stadtler, vice president of operations effective Dec. 10, 2012.
As chief engineer, Mr. Pohlot is responsible for all construction and maintenance activities for Amtrak-owned right-of-way including track, bridges, buildings, communications, signals and electric traction, plus he directs the Engineering department’s capital program. He will be based in Philadelphia.

He spent the last 13 years at the global infrastructure-consulting firm of Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB), most recently as a senior vice president and president of PB Transit & Rail, Inc. His work included the development of the railroad division and providing executive direction, leadership and management to its technical excellence center that has project responsibilities for the planning and design of railroad and transit projects. He also served as the railroad market leader for the company.

Before joining PB, he spent 21 years in the Amtrak Engineering department in senior positions in the New York, Baltimore, Boston and Western divisions. He also was program director of high-speed rail and assistant vice president, Engineering / program management.
As general manager, State-Supported Services, Mr. Quigley is in a newly created position that is part of the company’s ongoing effort to align day-to-day operations with the Amtrak Strategic Plan. He is responsible for providing Amtrak state partners and their customers with excellent service, while meeting financial goals and other performance targets. He will be based in Oakland, Calif.
He most recently served as vice president general manager at Owens Corning and previously held executive-level marketing and sales positions at United Technologies, Ingersoll Rand Company, Fortune Brands, The Scotts Company and Cargill.

He brings decades of executive experience leading organizations to financial and operational success, including a solid track record of profitably growing businesses in challenging market environments. He will use this experience to bring a total business focus to all the state-supported trains and will work closely with other general managers to lead business planning and implement service improvements and productivity enhancements for state-supported routes.