Jack Madden, PE, a senior project engineer at Erdman Anthony’s Albany office, presented at one session and served as the presiding officer at another session at this year’s annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Washington, D.C. TRB’s 99th annual meeting attracted more than 13,000 transportation professionals from around the world, with more than 5,000 presentations in nearly 800 sessions and workshops.

Jack has been a member of TRB, which is one of seven program units of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, for nearly 20 years. He has served on committees focused on intermodal terminal design and operations, urban freight transportation, and military transportation. He is currently a member of TRB Committee AR020 (Rail Rolling Stock and Motive Power) and a friend of TRB Committee AR010 (Intercity Passenger Rail).

The Next-Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee, created under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, first met in 2010. Jack has been a member of the technical subcommittee since then and served as chair of the locomotive working group from 2011 until 2016, shortly after his retirement from NYSDOT. He is currently an industry member of that working group.

Jack presided over Session #1470 entitled, “Next-Generation Corridor Equipment Pool Committee: 10 Years of Progress” in which representatives of Amtrak, Illinois DOT, Federal Railroad Administration and the rail equipment industry made presentations.

In Session #1130 entitled, “Mind the Gap: Improving Passenger-Rail Accessibility and Safety through Platform and Equipment Design,” Jack presented on “Accessibility Features Included in NGEC PRIIA Passenger Equipment Specifications.”