Railinc thrives as a hub of freight rail data and technology, providing crucial support to industry operations. Our daily work empowers railroads, car owners, and various stakeholders with timely access to essential data. However, despite our deep expertise in diverse facets of rail operations and technologies, the majority of our team rarely witnesses a train in action while immersed in our office environments.
To address this gap between data-centric work and the tangible reality of rail operations, Railinc sends groups of ten employees quarterly to Atlanta, Georgia, for intensive two-day training sessions at the CSX Transportation Railroad Education and Development Institute (REDI) Center.
Located adjacent to Tilford Yard, the CSX REDI Center serves as CSX’s primary training hub. This is where the railroad conducts essential training for a significant portion of its new hires, encompassing roles such as conductors, locomotive engineers, yardmasters, and management trainees. The program is vital for grounding theoretical knowledge in practical experience.
“The freight rail industry is inherently complex, and our perspective at Railinc, while insightful, represents only a segment of the larger picture,” notes Chief Financial Officer Yates Parker, a participant in the REDI training program in February. “These visits to the Csx Transportation Redi Center provide us with invaluable firsthand exposure to the daily tasks of railroad employees. This experience is crucial in enabling our team to appreciate the tangible impact our work has on the seamless movement of freight across North America.”
Connecting Railinc Expertise with Hands-on Railroad Experience at CSX REDI
The training at the CSX Transportation REDI Center is meticulously designed to connect Railinc’s data expertise with the practical realities of rail operations. CSX instructors guide Railinc employees through comprehensive classroom modules covering critical topics such as railroad safety protocols and the interpretation of railroad signage. Beyond classroom learning, the program incorporates practical sessions in CSX’s advanced locomotive simulator, providing a realistic glimpse into the engineer’s role. Participants also gain close-up insights into damaged wheelsets and tour the repair shop, observing equipment ID tags—integral components of the Component Tracking initiative supported by Railinc—in a real-world context.
The training extends beyond the classroom and shop floor into the rail yard itself, offering immersive hands-on activities. Railinc employees actively participate in tasks such as driving railroad spikes, attempting the hang test to simulate the physical demands of railcar inspections, and operating a manual switch, further solidifying their understanding of rail operations.
Alicia Goldberg, a business analyst who attended the REDI training in May, reflects on the program’s impact: “Working in an office environment, it’s easy to perceive our projects as abstract data streams. However, the training at CSX Transportation REDI Center, particularly the hands-on activities like driving railroad spikes, instilled in me a profound sense of connection to the rail industry. This is an experience every Railinc employee should embrace.”
Reggie Ealey, a senior software developer who attended CSX REDI training in 2014, emphasizes the program’s role in bridging the gap between development work and field applications: “Experiencing firsthand how a railroad operates and bringing those insights back to the office environment has been incredibly fulfilling. I now have a clear understanding of how the projects I contribute to are directly utilized within the industry. It’s a powerful realization.”
Explore more visuals from Railinc’s enriching visits to the CSX Transportation REDI Center on the Railinc Flickr page.
—Railinc Corporate Communications
