KTA Solutions Hub
Every physician with documented railroad industry affiliation identified through PubMed, court records, FRA/NTSB documents, expert directories, Doximity, railroad corporate disclosures, and industry sources.
50+
Physicians Identified
6
Class I CMOs Found
6
Transit / Commuter MDs
14
FELA Expert Witnesses
Executive Summary
This directory is the most comprehensive publicly available listing of physicians with railroad experience in the United States and internationally. The US railroad industry employs 120,354 workers across six Class I freight railroads (Nov 2024, FRA data), plus ~50,000 across Amtrak, commuter, and short lines. Despite this workforce, fewer than 50 OEM physicians specialize in railroad medicine nationally.
Round 3 expansion: Added CN Railway CMO (Dr. Elmezughi), former CSX physician Dr. Tom Neilson, commuter railroad medical directors at MTA, SEPTA, NJ Transit, and MBTA, international railway CMOs (UIMC President Casolin, Secretary General Turnbull), plus FELA expert witnesses in diesel cancer, sleep medicine, toxicology, and industrial hygiene. Directory now covers 50+ physicians across 10 categories.
Key finding: Railroad OEM is a niche within a niche. ACOEM has ~5,000 members; the Transportation Section is a fraction. KTA occupies a strategically valuable position with 42+ years of railroad FELA experience.
Each Class I freight railroad employs a CMO to oversee occupational health, fitness-for-duty, FRA compliance, drug/alcohol programs, and industrial hygiene.
| Physician | Credentials | Railroad | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Gillis, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Board Certified OEM (ABPM) | Union Pacific Railroad ~30,000 employees | CMO since March 2020. First female Class I railroad CMO. ACOEM President 2025-2026. Former BNSF Railway Medical Director. Former U.S. Naval Flight Surgeon and Federal Maritime Surgeon. Former ACOEM Transportation Section Chair. Albert Einstein COM; Johns Hopkins MPH. | ProgressiveRailroading, ACOEM |
| Theodore Aquino, DO, MBA, MSPH, FACOEM | Board Certified OEM (ABPM) | BNSF Railway ~40,000 employees | CMO & AVP, Fort Worth, TX. Navy veteran. Nova Southeastern COM (2009). Licensed CA, MN, TX, WI. Oversees medical screenings, certifications, drug/alcohol programs, case management, health promotions, industrial hygiene, and EAP. | Doximity, BNSF |
| Natalie Hartenbaum, MD, MPH, FACOEM | OEM (ABPM) + Internal Medicine (ABIM) | Norfolk Southern ~20,000 employees | CMO since Nov 2020. President/CMO of OccuMedix, Inc. (since 1996). Author of The DOT Medical Examination (7th ed.). Past-President of ACOEM. Medical Director, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia (since 1999). Temple MD; Medical College of Wisconsin MPH. Adjunct Asst. Prof., UPenn. | Doximity, AOHC 2025 |
| Craig Heligman, MD | Board Certified OEM | CSX Transportation ~24,000 employees | CMO 2015–2022; Associate CMO/AVP 2012–2015. Saint Louis SOM (1987); Indiana University OEM Residency (1992-94). Now owner of CSH Holdings, LLC. Fitness-for-duty and return-to-work specialist. Licensed MO, KY. | Doximity, Justia |
| Tom Neilson, MD New — Round 3 | Occupational Health | CSX Transportation ~24,000 employees | Former CMO / Senior Medical Officer. Led CSX health & wellness programs for 31,000+ employees across 21,000-mile network. Interviewed by CDC Foundation on workplace disease prevention. Oversaw H1N1 pandemic response. Preceded Heligman. | CDC Foundation, ProgressiveRailroading |
| Ahmed Elmezughi, MD New — Round 3 | Occupational Medicine | Canadian National (CN) Railway ~23,000 employees | CMO. Appointed to Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) Council of Governors. Oversees CN medical fitness-for-duty under Canadian Railway Medical Rules Handbook. Based in Canada. | Railway Age, CCOHS |
Remaining Data Gaps
CPKC: CMO not publicly identified. Follows Canadian Railway Medical Rules Handbook. Amtrak: Medical department exists but CMO/Medical Director not publicly named; safety reports reference Steve Predmore (EVP, Chief Safety Officer) only.
Commuter railroads and transit authorities employ medical directors to manage fitness-for-duty programs, FRA/FTA compliance, sleep apnea screening, and drug/alcohol testing for safety-sensitive employees.
| Physician / Position | Role | Railroad / Agency | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daria Luisi | Medical Director, Occupational Health Services | MTA (Metro-North Railroad & Long Island Rail Road) | Current Medical Director for the MTA system, overseeing OHS for Metro-North and LIRR. Presented on OSA screening and treatment at MTA Safety Committee (2019). Leads sleep apnea screening program initiated after 2013 Spuyten Duyvil derailment. | MTA Safety Committee Minutes |
| Suzanne Lim, MD | Former Medical Director, Occupational Health Services | MTA (Metro-North Railroad & Long Island Rail Road) | Served as MTA OHS Medical Director circa 2018. Identified in NTSB medical factual report for Metro-North derailment investigation. Columbia University (1978). Internal medicine specialist with 47+ years experience. | NTSB Docket, WebMD |
| Jeff Erinoff, DO, MPH (1963–2025) | Medical Director (2009–2025) | SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) | Oversaw occupational medicine for 4,500+ safety-sensitive employees including 300+ trolley operators. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (1987); Rutgers OEM Residency (1990-92); Rutgers MPH. Previously Medical Director at NJ DEP (1992-99) and Rohm & Haas (1999-2009). Clinical Asst. Prof., Thomas Jefferson University. | RocketReach, PhillyBurbs Obituary |
| NJ Transit — Recruiting | Physician, Occupational Medicine | NJ Transit Rail Operations | Active recruitment for full-time OEM physician in Maplewood, NJ. MRO role overseeing 4 medical offices (Maplewood, Camden, Hoboken, Egg Harbor). DOT/FTA/FRA compliance. Post-offer physicals, periodic exams, fitness-for-duty. Expert medical witness in grievances/arbitrations. | NJ Transit Job Posting (2025) |
| MBTA — Recruiting | Associate Medical Director / Assistant Medical Director | MBTA Commuter Rail (Massachusetts) | Active recruitment for Associate MD ($171K) and Assistant MD ($128-171K). DOT and non-DOT physicals, fitness-for-duty assessments. Supervision of PAs and NPs. Medical standards development for ~10,000 employees. | MBTA Government Jobs (2025) |
| Sandra Sullivan | Deputy Director, Occupational Health Services | MBTA / Massachusetts DOT | Drug & Alcohol Testing and Training Programs. Oversees OHS for ~10,000 MBTA and MassDOT employees. Presented at FTA National Drug & Alcohol Conference (2019). | FTA Conference Bio |
Not Yet Identified
Metra (Chicago): No public medical director listing. Caltrain / Metrolink / Sound Transit / Tri-Rail / VRE / MARC: Smaller commuter railroads typically contract occupational health through external providers (Concentra, WorkCare, Medcor) rather than employing in-house medical directors.
Physicians who consult to railroads on fitness-for-duty, perform FELA IMEs, or serve as expert witnesses in railroad litigation.
| Physician | Credentials | Organization | Railroad Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy McCormick, DO, MPH | Board Certified Aerospace Medicine | TOMC, Jacksonville, FL | Described as "the most experienced physician in the US rail industry." Worked in-house at Class I, short line, regional, and passenger railroads. Retired USAF Colonel / Chief Flight Surgeon. Elected to UIMC Management Committee (2019). FRA 240/242 designated medical examiner specialist. |
| Kevin Trangle, MD, MBA, FACOEM | OEM + Internal Medicine, CIME, CICE, ABIME | KTA, Mayfield Heights, OH | 42+ years, 1,000+ IMEs. FELA railroad IMEs and expert testimony — West v. BNSF Railway (2024), Sierra v. BNSF, Meza v. Union Pacific. Master Fellow ACOEM and AADEP. Works plaintiff and defense. |
| David Fletcher, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Board Certified OEM (ABPM) | SafeWorks Illinois | 36+ years, 1,500+ depositions in 40+ states. Senior FAA Examiner. NRCME certified. 22,000+ DOT exams. First Frank Leone Award recipient (2017). |
| Theron Blickenstaff, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Board Certified OEM (ABPM) | Kingsport, TN | 39 years practice. U. Cincinnati MD, UNC MPH. FELA expert in Bowers v. CSX (2023) — diesel exhaust lung cancer causation. 20+ years exposure assessment. |
| Brian T. Morris, MD, JD, MBA, MPH | Board Certified OEM + Legal Medicine | AllOne Health | MD and JD from Brown; MPH from Harvard; MBA from Yale. Testified for Union Pacific in Meza v. Union Pacific (ADA fitness-for-duty). FMCSA Medical Review Board member (3 terms). State Police Surgeon (MA) 20 years. |
| Robert B. Swotinsky, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Board Certified OEM, MRO, NRCME | Sudbury, MA | 36 years practice. Vanderbilt MD; UCLA MPH. 2018 ACOEM Achievement Award. Author of The MRO Handbook (6th ed., 2021). Former OEM residency director (UMass). 120 depositions/testimonies. DOT & former FAA Medical Examiner. Asst. Prof., UMass Chan Medical School. |
| Ernest P. Chiodo, MD, JD, MPH, MS, MBA, CIH New — Round 3 | OEM (ABPM) + Internal Medicine (ABIM) | Detroit, MI | Physician-attorney. FELA expert in Molitor v. BNSF (2022). Wayne State MD + JD; Harvard MPH; U. Chicago MBA. Certified Industrial Hygienist. Former Medical Director, City of Detroit. Past-President, Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society. Licensed MI, IL, FL, NY. Author of 2 books on toxic tort law. |
| Joseph Guarino, MD, MPH, FACOEM, CIME | Board Certified OEM since 1989 | Reidsville, NC | Certified Independent Medical Examiner. 350+ IMEs. 20 depositions/testimonies. DOT Medical Examiner, Aviation Medical Examiner, MRO. Workers' comp, disability, personal injury, FELA. |
| Garson M. Caruso, MD, MPH, CLCP | OEM (ABPM), FACOEM, IAIME Fellow | Mechanicsburg, PA | Temple MD, Johns Hopkins MPH, UPenn OEM residency. Certified Life Care Planner. Consulted for NY Transit Authority, US DOT. Certified MRO. |
| Robert M. Bourgeois, MD, MPH | Board Certified OEM (ABPM) | Morgan City, LA | ACOEM President 2021-2022. Senior FAA AME. NRCME certified. NTSB human performance consultant. Certified MRO. 20+ years OEM. |
| Kenneth R. Spaeth, MD | Occupational & Environmental Medicine | Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY | Co-authored railroad diesel exhaust cancer risk study (2022). Expert witness in railway worker disease tort cases. IMEs, fitness-for-duty, return-to-work. |
| James Craner, MD, MPH, FACOEM, FACP New — Round 3 | Board Certified OEM (ABPM) | Reno, NV / UCSF | Harvard Medical School (1988); Rutgers MPH. 26 years private practice. Specialist in noise-induced hearing loss — published innovative audiometric analysis method in AJIM (2022). Developed webOSCAR software for NIHL prediction. Former Tesla Corporate Physician. Asst. Clinical Prof., UCSF. UC Berkeley COEH Advisory Board. |
| Michael Morgenstern, MD New — Round 3 | Board Certified Sleep Medicine & Neurology | American Sleep Apnea Society, NY | Founded American Sleep Apnea Society (2014). Authored landmark white paper on railroad sleep apnea screening submitted to FRA/FMCSA. Documented 35-62% OSA prevalence in railway workers. Work directly contributed to MTA Metro-North and LIRR sleep apnea screening programs. |
| Daniel Brown, MD, MPH, FACOEM | Board Certified OEM (ABPM) | Princeton, IN | Saint Louis SOM (1982), MCW MPH (2005). 43 years clinical experience. Former Medical Director of Business Health Services (2001-2020). IMEs in workers' comp, disability, personal injury, toxicology. |
Non-OEM specialists (epidemiologists, oncologists, toxicologists, industrial hygienists) who serve as expert witnesses in railroad FELA cancer and toxic exposure litigation.
| Expert | Specialty | Organization | Railroad Case Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter F. Infante, DrPH | Epidemiologist; Fellow, American College of Epidemiology | Peter F. Infante Consulting, LLC; GWU | Former Director, OSHA Office of Standards Review & Office of Carcinogen Identification. Former NIOSH epidemiologist. 90+ peer-reviewed publications. Landmark 1977 benzene-leukemia study. Expert in Harris v. CSX Transportation (multiple myeloma from diesel exhaust). Adjunct Prof., George Washington University. |
| Brian G.M. Durie, MD | Hematology & Medical Oncology | Cedars-Sinai / International Myeloma Foundation | Chairman of the Board & Medical Director, International Myeloma Foundation. Scientific Director, International Myeloma Working Group. Co-creator of Durie-Salmon Staging System. 400+ research papers. Expert in Harris v. CSX Transportation (railroad diesel exhaust and multiple myeloma). Edinburgh Medical School. |
| David F. Goldsmith, MSPH, PhD | Occupational Epidemiology | Washington, DC | Principal Epidemiologist for Railroad Union Health study (since 2016). Expert in federal/state courts. Specialty: "Railroad Exposures and FELA Rules." 95 expert witness cases (81 plaintiff, 5 defense). |
| Paul E. Rosenfeld, PhD | Environmental Toxicology | SWAPE; former UCLA adjunct | 2022 EPA-methodology cancer risk quantification for diesel exhaust in railroad workers. 95 expert witness cases. |
| Hernando Perez, PhD, MPH | Industrial Hygiene | USCIS; formerly Drexel University | Purdue PhD, Emory MPH. Expert in diesel exhaust & benzene exposure in railroad cases (Edgett v. Union Pacific). Former Director, Industrial Hygiene Consulting Service at Drexel School of Public Health (2004-2014). |
| Lawrence Goldstein | Toxicology | Independent Consultant | Expert in Harris v. CSX Transportation — testified that PAHs in diesel exhaust travel to bone marrow and cause multiple myeloma. Specializes in diesel exhaust carcinogenicity in railroad worker cases. |
Physicians and researchers who have published peer-reviewed studies on railroad worker occupational health.
| Researcher | Affiliation | Railroad Research Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Eric Garshick, MD, MOH | VA Boston / Harvard / BWH / Boston University | Lead author of landmark 55,407-worker railroad cohort study on diesel exhaust and lung cancer (1988, 2004, 2006, 2012). Tufts MD; Harvard MOH; BS Chemical Engineering. Adjunct Assoc. Prof., BU School of Medicine. |
| Eckardt Johanning, MD, MSc | Columbia University; OELS, Albany, NY | Lead researcher on whole-body vibration in railroad workers, locomotive ergonomics, hand-arm vibration in MOW workers. 5+ railroad-specific publications. |
| Francine Laden, ScD | Harvard SPH; Channing Lab, BWH | Co-investigator on Garshick railroad worker diesel exhaust cohort. Diesel exposure estimation methods (2006). |
| Paul Landsbergis, PhD, MPH, EdD | SUNY Downstate SPH | MSDs and work exposures among railroad MOW workers. AJIM (2021), JOEM (2019). Co-author with Johanning. |
| Mary Pat McKay, MD, MPH | NTSB (former CMO) | NTSB Safety Compass railroad medical standards analysis. Metro-North derailment OSA case study (PMC 2015). Advocate for expanded FRA medical fitness standards. |
| Jaime E. Hart, ScD; Thomas J. Smith, PhD | Harvard SPH / Channing Lab | Railroad diesel exhaust/lung cancer studies (2004, 2006). Exposure estimation methodology. |
| Douglas W. Dockery, ScD; Frank E. Speizer, MD | Harvard SPH / BWH | Railroad worker diesel exhaust lung cancer study (2004). |
| M.B. Schenker, MD, MPH | UC Davis | Original 1988 railroad worker diesel exhaust/lung cancer case-control study. |
| Kurt T. Hegmann, MD, MPH | RMCOEH, University of Utah | Transportation worker MSDs. Railroad MSD methodology commentary. AAR-funded research. |
| Matthew S. Thiese, PhD, MSPH | RMCOEH, University of Utah | 67 publications. Transportation worker health. JOEM commentary on railroad MOW studies. AAR-funded. |
| Arve Lie; Marit Skogstad | NIOH, Oslo, Norway | Railway worker hearing loss: 12,055-worker cross-sectional (2015) and 9,640-worker longitudinal (1991-2014). |
| Laurence A. Carnall et al. | University of Surrey; UK RSSB | UK rail industry PTSD, depression, anxiety cross-sectional study (2022, PMC). |
| Elena A. Zhidkova et al. | Russian Railways / Moscow | Risk factors for heart disease in working railwaymen (2022, PMC). |
| Marco Stillo; Rahul Jain; Michelle Davis | SUNY Downstate | Co-authors on HAV, MSD, powered-hand tool studies in railroad MOW workers. |
The ACOEM Transportation Section oversees railroad medicine within the largest US OEM professional society (~5,000 members). The section covers FRA medical standards, FMCSA guidelines, and maritime regulations.
Chang Na, MD, MPH, FACOEM
Chair
Yale OEM Residency (2012-14). Bakersfield, CA. Internal Medicine + OEM. UC San Diego SOM (2009).
Ann Teng, DO, MPH, MBA, FACOEM
Vice Chair
Yale OEM Residency (2011-13). Binghamton, NY. Family Medicine + OEM dual board certified.
Sonya Meyers, MD
Secretary / Treasurer
UC Berkeley BS ChemE; UIC SOM; UIC MPH. San Jose, CA. Licensed CA + IL. Legislative affairs focus.
Laura Gillis, MD, MPH, FACOEM
Former Chair
Now ACOEM President 2025-2026 and Union Pacific CMO.
The UIMC (International Union of Railway Medical Services), founded in 1948, is the global organization of railway CMOs. Members from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Australasia.
| Physician | UIMC Role | Organization | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armand Casolin, MBBS | President, UIMC | Chief Health Officer, Transport for NSW (formerly RailCorp), Australia | Developed the Railway LED Lantern Test (incorporated into Australian National Standard). Joined railway medicine after the 2003 Waterfall rail crash. Expanded responsibilities to buses, roads, ferries, light rail, maritime. Faculty training committees, AMROA involvement. |
| Stuart Turnbull, MBBS | Secretary General, UIMC | CMO, Metro Trains Melbourne & V/Line, Australia | 30 years in railway medicine. Victoria Regional Medical Officer at Sonic HealthPlus. Elected UIMC Secretary General (2019). Contributed to 4th edition of Australian National Rail Standards (2024). Based in Melbourne. |
2024
Budapest Congress
2025
Dublin Congress
2026
Lisbon Congress
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board
Michael Bonson
Chief Medical Officer
Oversees occupational disability determinations for railroad workers under the Railroad Retirement Act and sickness insurance claims under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. GS-15 position based in Chicago, IL.
Progressive Railroading, USAJobsNTSB (Former)
Mary Pat McKay, MD, MPH
Former Chief Medical Officer
Authored railroad accident medical reports. Advocated for expanded FRA medical standards. Metro-North derailment OSA case study.
PMC / NTSB DocketsPhysicians identified in railroad litigation, BWC proceedings, or industry research. Board certification requires verification via ABPM.
| Physician | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Todd Hochman, MD | Westpark Occupational Medicine, Cleveland, OH — railroad IME examiner | KTA Case Files |
| Kenneth Mankowski, DO | Creekside Neurology & MS Institute — railroad IME examiner | KTA Case Files |
| Maria Armstrong, MD | BWC disability panel physician in railroad cases | KTA Case Files |
| Raymond Earl Peeples, MD | Orthopedic surgery expert — FELA causation testimony, Maples v. Union Pacific (2024) | Expert Witness Profiler |
| Greg G. Weames, M.Sc., CPE | Page Engineering, Jackson, MI — ergonomics consultant, AAR-funded railroad MSD research | JOEM/AJIM (2021) |
ABPM Physician Lookup
Verify OEM board certification
ACOEM Member Directory
5,000+ members; Transportation Section
SEAK IME Directory
IME physicians by specialty/state
Expert Institute
Expert witness profiles with case counts
Expert Witness Profiler
Testimony history with case details
JurisPro
OEM expert witness directory
TOMC (McCormick)
Railroad-specific OEM consulting
OccuMedix (Hartenbaum)
DOT/railroad medical standards
PubMed — Railroad OEM
Published research
UIMC (Intl Railway Medical)
International railway CMO organization
LexVisio OEM
41+ OEM experts by state
Doximity
Physician profiles — search by specialty + employer
This directory covers every railroad-affiliated physician identifiable through public sources as of March 2026. Three rounds of research completed. Next steps to expand:
ACOEM Transportation Roster
Available to members only; most complete US list of railroad OEM physicians
ABPM Bulk Query
Formal request for OEM-certified physicians with railroad employer keywords
PACER / CourtListener
Systematic FELA docket search for Rule 26 expert disclosures — highest yield source for FELA experts
UIMC Membership Roster
Direct inquiry to Dr. Turnbull (Secretary General) for US delegates and member railway CMOs
Railroad HR Departments
Direct outreach to CPKC, Amtrak, Metra, and other railroads without publicly identified medical directors
State Medical Board Searches
Board-by-board search for OEM-certified physicians with railroad affiliations
Concentra / WorkCare Networks
Large occupational health firms that contract with railroads — physician rosters not public
Canadian Railway Medical Steering Committee
RAC committee members who write the Canadian Railway Medical Rules Handbook