G&W's Angel joins Short Line Safety Institute's board

The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has added Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc.’s John Angel as a board member.

Now the seventh member of SLSI’s board, Angel serves as vice president of compliance and training at G&W.

The institute conducts safety culture assessments at regionals and short lines, provides hazardous materials training to railroads and first responders, and offers leadership skills development training to short-line industry constituents. 

“I am honored to be contributing to an organization that is charged with and successfully advancing the safety culture of the short-line railroad industry,” said Angel in a press release. “Each tool or training program the industry can provide to help ensure that every railroader comes home safe each and every day is time and effort well spent.” 

SLSI’s board is chaired by Justin Broyles, the executive VP of commercial affairs for R. J. Corman Railroad Group. In addition to Angel and Broyles, the other five board members are Chuck Baker, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association; Janet Gilbert, a partner at Fletcher & Sippel; Mitch Harris, VP  of safety and compliance at Rio Grande Pacific Corp.; Jared Martin, VP of operations at Modesto & Empire Traction Co.; and Tom Murta, SLSI’s executive director.

Angel brings to the board both on-the-ground experience — beginning his career as a conductor on a small short line in Ohio — and experience with safety culture leadership at the highest level, Murta said.

“His insight on practices and programs that will help move the needle on safety culture will be invaluable to our organization,” Murta said.