For Immediate Release
San Antonio, TX – June 12, 2009
PDI Launches Rail / Transit Consulting Division
Protection Development, Incorporated (PDI) announced today that it is expanding its commitment to the rail / transit consulting business by launching a new, dedicated division, targeted specifically to that industry. The new division will be called PDI Rail Solutions (www.PDIRail.com).
PDI is an established engineering firm, bringing a quarter century of experience to the marketplace. PDI, established in 1985 to practice fire protection engineering, began working in the rail / transit market in 2006 when it performed a comprehensive fire safety analysis for a new commuter passenger rail service. PDI has enjoyed steady growth since it’s establishment in 1985 and continues as a leader in its field.
Joining PDI Rail Solutions will be transportation engineers and professionals whose major focus has been to serve the rail transportation industry. Their expertise comes from long years of experience, working for and with major transportation providers, freight and passenger, public and private. With that experience will come an understanding, based upon multiple points of view, which in turn, will lead to common sense economical solutions.
PDI Rail Solutions will concentrate on the rail transportation industry, including light and heavy rail, commuter, inter-city passenger rail and freight rail, providing engineering, quality, inspection and related consulting services to both the public and private sectors. PDI Rail Solutions personnel will bring economical, real world experience to projects from start to finish and will be able to assist our clients at any phase of their project:
– Procurement Phase (for new vehicles and existing vehicle rehabilitation)
– Manufacturing Phase
– Acceptance Phase
– Operational Certification and Training Phase
– Maintenance Program Development and Training Phase
– Project Closeout Phase
PDI, with its existing cadre of Fire Protection Engineers and Code Analysts, will continue to provide fire and life-safety consulting for the rail / transit industry and apply their expertise in the areas of:
– Fire & Safety Risk Analysis
– Smoke, Flammability, and Toxicity Testing (vehicular and wayside applications)
– Emergency Planning
The new consultants of PDI Rail Solutions will add to PDI’s traditional services by entering the arena of rail / transit project management, procurement of new equipment, rehabilitation of existing equipment, regulatory compliance, and rail vehicle manufacture, operation and maintenance. PDI Rail Solutions consultants will have Class 1 and short-line freight experience, as well as passenger experience, ranging from local agency to national passenger operations.
PDI Rail Solutions’ new consultants will be well versed in the myriad aspects of project management, as well as having demonstrated technical expertise in the following areas:
– Specification development and writing
– Drawing review and approval
– Bid review and analysis
– Federal regulatory compliance reviews including ADA, FRA, and FTA
– State and local regulatory compliance reviews
– Prime and subcontractor quality oversight and audits
– Quality assurance including first article and pre-shipment inspections
– Resident production engineering and oversight – both domestic and international
– Fleet system proof and vehicle testing
– Vehicle fleet implementation and integration
– Small program start-up
– Operational and Maintenance planning and support
– Qualified Maintenance Person (QMP) training (to meet FRA §238.109)
– Equipment / Systems Analysis
– Documentation / Car History Books
– Services to the Private Rail Passenger Car Segment
– Pre-purchase inspection of existing equipment
The employees of PDI Rail Solutions will be active in industry associations and panels. They will hold membership on important national transit association committees, including the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American Public Transit Association (APTA), American Association of Railroads (AAR), American Short Line Railroad Association (ASLRA), Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), and the Transportation Research Board (TRB). They will maintain membership in appropriate professional organizations and will also maintain numerous professional and technical certifications.
Bullish on the rail / transit consulting market, PDI President & CEO, Bob Andrews, stated “While the launch of this division is new, PDI has been involved in the rail consulting business for the past three years. The establishment of PDI Rail Solutions will provide the necessary organizational structure to allow us to serve this very important market in a very focused way. When asked about hiring and staffing plans for the new division, Andrews stated, “I am very excited, and I believe the industry will be truly impressed, with the caliber of professionals that will be joining PDI Rail Solutions in the very near future.”
About Protection Development, Incorporated (PDI)
Founded in 1985 as a fire protection engineering firm, PDI provides a full spectrum of fire protection engineering services including sprinkler and fire alarm design, fire and smoke modeling, and performance-based designs offering innovative solutions to complex fire and life-safety challenges. In addition, PDI provides consulting services for fire, building, and life-safety code compliance, including plans review and the issuance of commodity letters. PDI also provides government third-party plan review services on behalf of local, state, and federal agencies. In addition to its engineering and consulting services, PDI, through its Permitting Section, assists its clients in negotiating the complex permitting process, managing that process from initial application, through all necessary inspections, to final Certificate-of-Occupancy.
To learn more about PDI, visit our website at www.pdifire.com.
About PDI Rail Solutions
In June 2009, PDI expanded its commitment to the rail / transit consulting business by launching a new, dedicated division, aimed specifically at that industry. That division is called PDI Rail Solutions.
To learn more about PDI Rail Solutions, visit our website at www.pdirail.com.
PDI is a Texas Registered Engineering Firm (Firm Number F-2816), licensed under the authority of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE).