Alaska Railroad names Mesloh CMO

Alaska Railroad Corp. will promote Sean Mesloh to chief mechanical officer effective March 1. He will succeed Don Freestone, who will retire Feb. 28.

Mesloh began his railroad career in December 2000, when he was hired as a mechanical worker in the railroad's rail-car shop in Anchorage, where he advanced through apprenticeship levels and learned to maintain freight and passenger cars.

In January 2004, Mesloh earned full carman status. By 2006, he was promoted to mechanical supervisor, overseeing work on cars, locomotives and heavy equipment. In 2008, he became general mechanical supervisor in Fairbanks, and in 2015 was named operations director, responsible for terminal and train functions in the railroad's north end.

Mesloh retured to Anchorage in November 2019 after being named manager of motive power and equipment.

"The railroad’s transportation and equipment maintenance operations are closely tied, and a CMO with a solid background in both areas is a great asset. Plus, years spent on the mechanical front line lends credibility and perspective to Sean’s leadership,” said Clark Hopp, Alaska Railroad's chief operating officer, in a press release.