Corporate Partners

HNTB

HNTB Corporation is a national transportation infrastructure firm that provides design, engineering and planning services to federal, state and local public and private clients. They have been invested in railroad transportation, providing professional services in intercity passenger rail since the foundation of Amtrak in 1971. One notable project they worked on in the Midwest is the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago (TCMC) corridor, where they collaborated with the Wisconsin and Minnesota departments of transportation, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Amtrak and Class I railroads. The project involved implementing a second daily round-trip passenger service known as the Borealis, which expands mobility and connection along the 411-mile corridor and became operational in May 2024. HNTB’s contributions included pre-NEPA activities, NEPA analysis, Service Development Plan (SDP), successful grant applications and ongoing assistance with final design and implementation. Click here to learn more about HNTB’s extensive expertise in rail and transit projects.

Website: HNTB

Michael Baker International

Michael Baker delivers innovative, technology-driven solutions that shape the future of mobility. Supporting passenger rail and transit agencies from concept through delivery, operations, and asset management, Michael Baker plans transformative programs, designs resilient stations and facilities, optimizes corridors, modernizes fleets and systems, strengthens rail infrastructure, and manages complex capital investments. As a trusted advisor, Michael Baker aligns infrastructure and transportation services with community priorities, resilience goals, financial stewardship, and operational performance. The firm helps clients secure funding, navigate regulatory requirements, accelerate project delivery, and create safer, smarter, and more connected public transportation networks.
 

Website: Michael Baker International

 Quandel

Quandel Consultants is a Chicago-based and employee-owned professional engineering firm. We plan and design the nation’s transportation systems, with a legacy in rail and a passion for sustainable mobility. Quandel has worked with federal, state, and local governments to improve rail corridors and implement enhanced passenger and freight rail service. Since our founding in 2007, Quandel has grown to over 35 professionals dedicated to rail planning, engineering, and program management making us one of the largest “pure” rail engineering firms in the Midwest. Our staff has worked on all facets of rail projects including planning and environmental studies, design and engineering for capital projects, oversight of construction, operations, and maintenance. In 2016, Quandel Consultants established a structural engineering division, featuring a team with over 40 years of experience in the transportation industry on bridge and structural engineering solutions.

Website:  Quandel Consultants, LLC

Siemens Mobility Division

Siemens Mobility Division provides efficient and integrated transportation of people and goods by rail and road – including rolling stock, rail automation, rail electrification, intelligent traffic systems and service. Siemens designs and manufactures across the entire spectrum of rolling stock, including commuter and regional passenger trains, light rail and streetcars, metros, locomotives, passenger coaches and high-speed trainsets. Cities and Railroads also rely on Siemens to provide traction-power substations and electricity transmission, as well as signaling and control technology for freight and passenger rail and transit systems.

Website: Siemens Mobility Division

  WSP

WSP USA, formerly WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, the firm employs more than 7,000 engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals in 100 offices across the U.S. WSP has extensive experience with all forms of rail transit, including commuter rail, urban metros, streetcars and high-speed systems. The firm combines expertise in engineering design and construction-phase services with strategic consulting, land use planning, and program management to provide clients with comprehensive support from inception through operations, with a strong emphasis on making transportation infrastructure truly sustainable.

Website: WSP

Non-Profit Partners

Ohio Association of Regional Councils

The Ohio Association of Regional Councils (OARC) includes 23 agencies serving 1,525 municipalities, villages, townships and counties. Regional councils coordinate and work to encourage collaboration among communities and identify priority needs of their regions. Regional councils have a number of important roles that benefit the quality of life and economic future of our local communities in the areas of transportation, environment, economic development, housing, senior services, land use and data collection. Regional councils also help secure financing from a variety of local, state, federal and even private funding sources for projects that have a positive impact on the residential and commercial sectors. Most of Ohio’s regional councils are federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Organizations that bring local officials together to determine transportation priorities and how to allocate federal transportation dollars. OARC is also a member of the National Association of Regional Councils and works at a national level to assertively advocate the issues, policies and interests of Ohio’s regions.

Website:  Ohio Association of Regional Councils

Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority

The Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority (RCRRA) is a separate governmental unit from Ramsey County, established under Minnesota Statute 398. The RCRRA has separate taxing authority and works on various transit and transit-oriented development projects and intercity passenger rail projects that address the region’s need for affordable transportation mobility, improved transportation affordability, mitigation of traffic congestion, and enhanced environmental quality. The RCRRA consists of the seven members of the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners. Currently, Commissioner Rafael Ortega is chair.

The Regional Railroad Authority owns Union Depot, Minnesota’s premier multimodal transportation hub and event venue, and is committed to the development of sustainable passenger rail service in the Midwest.

Website:  Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority

SMART-Transportation Division

SMART-Transportation Division (formerly United Transportation Union) is a broad-based, transportation labor union representing about 125,000 active and retired railroad, bus and mass transit workers in the United States. SMART-TD is the largest railroad operating union in North America, with more than 500 locals. SMART-TD represents employees on every Class I railroad, as well as employees on many regional and shortline railroads, and bus and mass transit employees as well. Widely recognized as the leader among transportation labor groups, SMART-TD is a staunch supporter of passenger rail and has been instrumental in the preservation of Amtrak, our national passenger rail network, and is proud to be a partner with the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.

Website:  SMART-Transportation Division

Teamsters Rail Conference, International Brotherhood of Teamsters

The Teamsters Rail Conference represents more than 70,000 rail employees in the United States who work as locomotive engineers, trainmen and maintenance of way workers on the five major freight railroads, Amtrak and numerous commuter rail systems and short lines.  The Conference was formed in early 2004 after the merger of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and added to in late 2004 when the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees also merged with the Teamsters.

Website: Teamsters Rail Conference

University of Illinois

The University of Illinois is recognized as having the strongest rail engineering program in North America. It combines unparalleled educational programs with a vibrant research focusing on critical issues and emerging technologies in passenger, freight and transit systems, with programs in Chicago and Urbana Champaign. Beyond the growth of its own programs, the University of Illinois is taking the lead in proposing the creation of a new national rail effort for education and research at other top institutions. The University of Illinois is dedicated to continually educating and training the workforce that designs, builds and runs the passenger, freight and transit lines that keep America moving!

Website: University of Illinois

Honorary Partners

Amtrak

Amtrak – America’s Railroad® – is dedicated to safe and reliable mobility as the nation’s intercity passenger rail service provider and its high-speed rail operator. With our state and commuter partners, we move people, the economy and the nation forward, carrying more than 30 million Amtrak passengers for each of the past five years. Formally known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Amtrak is governed by a nine member board of directors appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Anthony R. Coscia is board chairman and Jeffrey R. Moreland is vice chairman.  Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily – at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph) – connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. Learn more at Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and other information. Check us out at blog.Amtrak.com, Like us on Facebook.com and follow us on Twitter: @Amtrak.

Website:  Amtrak

Federal Railroad Administration

Website:  Federal Railroad Administration