TTX
TTX, the Class I-owned railcar pooling company founded as Trailer Train in 1955 by the Pennsylvania Railroad and a major provider of railcars and related freight car management services to the North American rail industry, has promoted Marty Thomas to President. He assumes day-to-day leadership of the company and continues to report directly to CEO Tom Wells.
Thomas joined TTX in November 2024 as Executive Vice President, overseeing Supply Chain, Information Technology, Finance and Fleet Management. In his expanded role, he will now also oversee Equipment, Law and Human Resources, according to TTX.
Thomas previously spent 29 years with GE Transportation/Westinghouse Air Brake Corporation (Wabtec) where he held leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including Shift Supervisor, Field Service Engineer, Locomotive Shop Plant Manager, Global Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, BNSF and UPRR Account Executive, Enterprise Quality Executive, and Senior Executive Global Operations.
“Marty has made a meaningful impact at TTX in a very short time,” said Tom Wells, who previously served as CEO and President. “He’s helped TTX steer through a complex tariff environment, sharpen our fleet strategy and strengthen the commercial efforts driving strong utilization and revenue this year. His commitment to TTX, deep understanding of our owners’ needs and strong leadership make him the right person to help guide the company forward.”
Separately, earlier this year, TTX joined the RailPulse™ coalition. Also, in June, former TTX President and CEO Raymond C. Burton, Jr., died at the age of 86.
VRE
Katie Choe on Jan. 20, 2026, will become CEO of VRE, the nation’s 13th largest commuter rail service, which connects Northern and Central Virginia to Washington, D.C.’s urban core. The appointment was made by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and the Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC), VRE’s joint governing bodies, at the commissions’ respective board meetings on Dec. 4.
Choe succeeds Rich Dalton, who retired at the beginning of October. With 25 years of program management and safety oversight leadership in the transportation sector, Choe served most recently as the Chief of Staff to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. She has also served as Chief Engineer for the City of Boston Public Works, and as Program Manager at Massport, the Massachusetts Port Authority. In these roles, Choe delivered numerous major infrastructure projects with an emphasis on safety and quality, according to VRE. In 2022, she was named WTS Boston’s Woman of the Year.
Choe’s appointment comes after a nationwide search and selection process conducted over the course of several months, led by the VRE Chief Executive Officer Search Committee.
Choe is said to take the VRE throttle at a pivotal time. “For over 33 years, VRE has served Northern and Central Virginia as a commuter-focused rail service, with operations aligned around peak hours for weekday commutes,” the railroad noted. “Now, following the adoption earlier this year of VRE’s 2050 Service Plan and Vision, and a multi-billion dollar investment in the region’s rail infrastructure through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative, VRE prepares to increase service to expand beyond commuter-focused rail and position itself as a regional rail network, with first-ever weekend and late-night service, and increased bi-directional service. These planned system improvements respond to shifting passenger needs while bolstering economic growth for Northern Virginia and surrounding jurisdictions. Several infrastructure projects scheduled for construction over the next five years will make this service vision of increased reliability, efficiency, and safety possible for VRE, including the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s (VPRA) Long Bridge improvement project; VPRA’s third and fourth track projects at Franconia, Alexandria, and L’Enfant; and VRE station improvements within the corridor. “
“I am honored to join VRE at such a significant moment for regional mobility,” Choe said. “VRE plays a critical role in connecting communities and supporting economic growth across Northern and Central Virginia and the greater Washington region. I look forward to working alongside our talented staff and partners to enhance the rider experience, deliver transformative capital projects, and build VRE into the first choice for regional transportation in Northern and Central Virginia.”
Separately, VRE earlier this year appointed MinhChau Corr as General Counsel, succeeding Steve MacIsaac, who will retired in September.
