Episodes

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Todd Staples, President of the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA). Together they discuss the current state of the U.S. oil and gas industries; oil and gas pricing, how it is determined and by whom; the reason gas prices fluctuate state to state; the short-term and potential long-term impacts the closing of the Strait of Hormuz will have on the U.S. oil and gas industries due to the war in Iran; th...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Captain Eric Carrero (U.S. Coast Guard ret.) – President of the Greater Houston Port Bureau. Together they discuss the many roles of the U.S. Coast Guard including port security, the recent and first ever Navy Fleet Week in Houston, the impact of the Greater Houston Ports on the U.S. economy, the short-term and long-term impacts on the greater Houston ports by the closing of the Strait of Hormuz du...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Betsy Cantwell – President of GoRail. Together they discuss the legislation pending in DC that will impact the rail industry such as the Railway Safety Act and overall Surface Transportation Bill. They do a deep dive into the current and impressive safety record of the rail industry, review all the programs GoRail offers to foster local community-based rail advocacy such as Rail Champions, as well ...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Dave Ronzani - Director of Railcar Regulatory Compliance for AllTranstek. Together they discuss the current state of tank car regulations with an update after the recent AAR Tank Car Committee meetings in Nashville, TN., including the status of PHMA’s proposed rulemaking HM-265 as well as their opinions of potential pros and cons; an open FRA Hazardous Materials Incident Investigation (HMII) regard...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest John Doggett – Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, McCombs School of Business, Management Department. Together they discuss the current state of the U.S. economy, the military action in Iran and its potential short-term and long-term effects, the partial government shutdown, the upcoming Fed Chair change and likelihood of rate cuts, the rapid growth of AI, areas of market growth to watc...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Tony Hatch, President of ABH Consulting and Sr. Wall Street Transportation Analyst. Together they discuss the current status and potential pros and cons of the proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger, what the recent Supreme Court ruling regarding tariffs under IEEPA means and doesn’t mean, a potential 3rd ”Golden Age” of short line railroading, market trends and risks, a look ahead into...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this, our first episode of Season 4, our host Don Walsh is our guest. Don takes us on a journey through 2025 and gives us a recap of each of the podcast episodes from Season 3 along with a look behind the scenes and shares his thoughts not heard before on the episodes themselves. Don also discusses audience feedback and his favorite moments from Season 3, after which he gives his thoughts on where the industry is headed in 2026 and some hints on wh...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode, our Season 3 Finale, our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Ian Jefferies, President and CEO of the Association of American Railroads! Together they discuss why the AAR was created, who the AAR is, what they do, all the tremendous resources they offer their members and the industry as a whole, including resources like their subsidiaries RailInc and MxVRail. Ian also gives his thoughts on industry highlights from 2025, and what he’s loo...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this our 2nd Annual Christmas Special our host Don Walsh is joined by guest and 15-time Texas country music chart-topper Bri Bagwell! Together they discuss Bri’s incredible journey to becoming Texas Female Country Music Artist of the Decade, as well as Bri’s favorite Christmas songs and memories. Bri gives amazing live performances of her favorite train song and a beautiful Christmas song that she co-wrote with her dad and her cousin. Bri also shar...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Chuck Baker, President of the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA). Together they discuss the story of the American short line railroads including their origins, their near demise due to regulations and increased trucking, their re-birth after deregulation, their significant role and impact on the U.S. economy, the effect of a government shutdown on the industry, and much mo...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Eric Starks, Chairman of FTR (Freight Transportation Research Associates). Together they discuss the pending $85 billion dollar Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger, the current status of the U.S. economy, an update on U.S. manufacturing and production including new railcar production, rail traffic, market trends and risks, a forecast for 2026 and much more. We also announce our 2025 Honor our...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this Fun Rail Excursions episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Mary Jo Naschke, Director of Marketing for the Galveston Railroad Museum in Galveston, TX. Together they discuss the history of Galveston as a major port city in a young and growing United States in the 1800’s and the vital importance the railroad played in Galveston and beyond in the southwest United States. They also go through all the wonderful exhibits at the museum, the edu...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Tom DeLafosse, SVP of Quality and Regulatory Compliance for Salco Products. Together they do a deep dive into tank car regulations, rulings and pending rulings such as HM-216b, HM-265 and HM-264, including the history of the industry before these regulations and rulings, the reasoning behind the creation of them, and their current as well as potential future impact on car owners, repair shops and s...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Kate Suprenuk, President of Leasing & Manufacturing at Union Tank Car (UTLX) & Procor. Together they discuss the current state of the new tank car market, the tank car leasing market, and they touch on the history of Union Tank Car Company, formed in 1891 by Standard Oil Company founded by John D. Rockefeller. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of Ameri...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Jeff Necciai, Chief Technology Officer of Duos Technologies, Inc. Together they discuss the importance of timely and accurate railcar inspections, how far railcar inspection technology has come over the last 25 to 30 years, how important railcar inspections are to safety, the role Ai is playing in the advancement of railcar inspection technology, and its ability to promptly communicate its findings...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Denson White, Chief Commercial Officer of APM Terminals, Pier 400 in the Port of Los Angeles / Long Beach, CA. Together they discuss the current state of the U.S. supply chain, the effect that trade wars and tariffs can have on it, as well as how lessons learned during Covid will help those in supply chain today, and the surprising year-to-date stats of U.S. carload and intermodal traffic. Tune in ...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this our 2nd Anniversary episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Tom Landstreet, Co-Founder of Trusco Investment Management. Together they discuss the current state of the U.S. economy post-Presidential election, and they do a deep dive into not only where our economy is today, but how we got here, how tariffs and other proposed methods or solutions may potentially help or contribute to inflation, and what this all can mean for the rail indus...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Patrick Fuchs, Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Together they discuss who the STB is, how and why the STB was created, and they do a deep dive into not only all the various functions of the STB, but also all the different ways in which the STB is a valuable resource to the rail industry. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American ...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this, our first episode of Season 3, our host Don Walsh is our guest. Producer John joins Don on this episode and together they take us on a journey to review each of the podcast episodes from Season 2 along with a look behind the scenes and share thoughts not heard before on the episodes themselves. They also discuss audience feedback and their favorite moments from Season 2, after which Producer John then interviews Don, and they discuss his thou...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this our first ever Christmas Special our host Don Walsh is joined by guests and Texas country music chart-toppers Payton Riley and Bubba Westly. Together they discuss the long history and connection between trains, music and Christmas, as well as sharing favorite Christmas songs and Christmas memories. Payton Riley and Bubba Westly also perform several live and unplugged songs on the episode including each of their own newly released Christmas son...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Eamonn Patrick, Transportation Specialist, Standards and Rulemaking, for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). Together they discuss who PHMSA is, what PHMSA does, and they do a deep dive into several pending and proposed rules including HM-264 regarding the shipping of LNG by rail tank cars and the recent HM-265 docket issued 10/28/24 ...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Crystal Blasius, Director of Safety Investigations for Amtrak. Together they discuss the importance of everyone following safety guidelines when around trains with a focus on railroad crossings. They also discuss Operation Life Saver and some of the scenic trips you can take on Amtrak. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can ...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Nigel Bennett – Treasurer for the Illinois Railway Museum (IRM) in Union, IL. Together they discuss the history of the 100-acre Illinois Railway Museum, their history, vast and expansive exhibits, extensive libraries, educational opportunities, and amazing seasonal events for the whole family to enjoy. Also, at the end of the episode Don is joined by co-founder, president and CEO of Boots for Troop...

Welcome to the American Railroading Podcast! In this episode our host Don Walsh is joined by guest Tim Schaffer – Regional Sales Manager for PPG Industries. Together they discuss the importance of railcar coatings, along with a deep dive into the overall paint and lining processes, including everything from surface preparation and training to the finished product. Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights and broaden your understanding of American Railroading. You can find the episode on...