RailPros, Inc.’s Management Team includes many former railroad employees who have a unique understanding of the way railroads operate. All members of our Management team have vast experience guiding various projects from concept and engineering to construction and operation. Each has considerable experience in managing, designing, and construction projects under active railroad traffic, ensuring minimal disruption of rail service. We are proud to have top railroad talent who contribute extensive experience and add to RailPros’ industry expertise. Our Management Team consists of the following professionals:
Eric Hankinson, PE – President & Co-Founder. Mr. Hankinson has over 19 years of railroad, structural, and civil engineering experience in the design, construction and project management of a wide range of transportation projects including track construction, bridges, grade crossings, grade separations, drainage projects, stations, and other railroad facilities. He has dealt extensively with project stakeholders, resource agencies and host railroads in the planning, design, and construction of various rail projects. He has performed engineering services for several clients including: the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), North County Transit District (NCTD), Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), Caltrans, Amtrak, Swift Transportation, California Commerce Center, the County of Orange, and the cities of San Diego, Del Mar, Oceanside, Santa Ana, and San Gabriel. Mr. Hankinson is managing all of RailPros’ grade crossing improvements-related projects, which involve safety upgrades at 44 crossings in 10 Southern California cities. Mr. Hankinson has been with RailPros, Inc. since it was founded in 2000 and has helped guide and expand the company.
Johnny Johnson, PE – Vice President & Co-Founder. Mr. Johnson has over 30 years of project experience in freight, port, and passenger railroad planning, engineering, construction and maintenance. He has held senior level management positions with freight and passenger railroads and railroad consulting firms. Mr. Johnson has managed numerous planning and design projects, including track design, track upgrades, capacity improvements, and planning studies. Clients include: Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR), Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (Caltrain), Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA), North County Transit District (NCTD) Amtrak, Caltrans, and the Port of Long Beach. He has numerous contacts throughout the private and public railroad organizations in the US and is an active participant in railroad engineering associations. He understands railroad operations, track construction and maintenance, intermodal terminal issues, and he is an experience track designer. Mr. Johnson’s comprehensive engineering knowledge and Project Management experience make him an integral part of the RailPros team.
Tom Crowell – Senior Project Manager. Mr. Crowell has over 24 years of railroad, structural, and civil engineering experience in the design, construction and project management of a wide range of transportation projects including track construction, bridges, grade crossings, grade separations, drainage projects, stations, and other railroad facilities. He has dealt extensively with project stakeholders, resource agencies and host railroads in the planning, design, and construction of various rail projects. Mr. Crowell has been with our company since November 2008 and we are happy to have his expertise on our team.
Graham Christie, PE – Senior Project Manager. Mr. Christie has over 17 years of experience in the implementation of railroad improvements. He is keenly aware of the construction staging required to minimize disruption to rail operations, as well as the guidelines set by AREMA. He has acted as extension-of-staff for Metrolink in the capacity of Manager of Construction, project manager for various projects, and participated in Metrolink’s Bridge Inspection Program. He has vast railroad construction and safety knowledge. Mr. Christie has been with RailPros since February 2007 and has aided in the expansion of our construction related activities.
Charlie Nickerson, PE – Senior Project Manager. Mr. Nickerson has more than 39 years of rail experience, including 18 years on a Class I Railroad in engineering, maintenance and management. Experience includes the design, planning and maintenance of track, stations, bridges, equipment maintenance facilities, and inter-modal facilities for freight, commuter and light rail. He has provided engineering and design services for Major Investment Studies for light rail and authored studies on commuter rail feasibility and Diesel Multiple Unit compatibility with freight operations, route location and feasibility studies for freight facilities. Mr. Nickerson has been with our company since August 2009 and has been heading our effort on Metrolink’s Positive Train Control project.
Karen M. Hankinson, PE, TE – Senior Traffic and Civil Engineer. Ms. Hankinson has over 17 years of experience working as both registered Civil Engineer and a registered Traffic Engineer. She has project experience in traffic analysis, traffic control design, and signal design, as well as extensive experience dealing with clients and project stakeholders. She understands the unique issues that occur between railroads and regular traffic, and has developed an expertise of resolving these traffic issues. Ms. Hankinson has recently been a key staff member on the Orange County Quiet Zone Project, the San Diego Quiet Zone Project, and the Empire Boulevard Grade Separation project, overseeing all traffic related design. As both a Traffic and Civil Engineer, she contributes a unique expertise to our design projects. She has been with RailPros since 2006 and has headed all Traffic Engineering efforts.
Chris Coffman, PE – Senior Civil Engineer. Mr. Coffman has 21 years of civil engineering experience. He has considerable experience in the planning, design and construction management of major civil works projects, including transit/rail, bridges, industrial facilities, highways, drainage, utility systems and harbors. He is an innovative civil engineer with a record of effective participation and leadership in projects of great complexity, demonstrating his broad engineering skills and proven ability to coordinate diverse engineering disciplines. Mr. Coffman has been with RailPros, Inc. since July 2007 and has been a great asset to the firm.
Eric B. Winters, PE – Senior Civil Engineer. Mr. Winters is a civil and railroad engineer with 16 years of experience. He has extensive of design and construction experience on multiple railroad and roadways projects. Mr. Winters has served as lead engineer and project manager for multiple Port of Portland projects, and the Vancouver Wharves Berths 4/5 Redevelopment. He has been the project manager for the Portland & Western Railroad and Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad’s on-call services contract and has designed and constructed more than thirty railroad at-grade crossings in Oregon. Mr. Winters joined RailPros in October 2009 and we are happy to add his diverse engineering experience to our management team.
