Quandel taps Windschmitt to head railroad operations
Written by Kyra Senese, Managing Editor
Peter Windschmitt
Operations planner Peter Windschmitt has joined national rail and transit firm Quandel Consultants as the firm’s new director of railroad operations.
Officials said Windschmitt has worked in the rail industry for more than 15 years, bringing expertise in freight operations, transportation planning and freight and passenger systems integration.
As he joins Quandel, Windschmitt is expected to contribute to the firm’s ongoing efforts on Hiawatha Service between Chicago and Milwaukee.
“Peter Windschmitt’s experience in both freight and passenger rail allows him to build understanding between project stakeholders,” said Charlie Quandel, CEO of Quandel Consultants. “We are pleased to have him on our team to provide valuable analysis and counsel, ultimately leading to meaningful results for all parties.”
Windschmitt started his career as a train dispatcher for Union Pacific Railroad. He also worked for the freight company in transportation planning and as a senior systems engineer. As chief planner at HNTB, Windschmitt led the operations planning of Brightline.
“When integrating freight and passenger systems, it’s important to consider how decisions will impact operations now, a few years from now, and decades down the road,” Windschmitt said. “As Director of Railroad Operations, I work to balance day-to-day freight needs alongside long-range passenger plans.”
Officials said Windschmitt performs microscopic modeling and simulation to help clients navigate public private partnerships and optimize the allocation of capital dollars. Windschmitt also provides leadership in train scheduling, using his expertise in network planning to advise clients of the most efficient way to move trains through their network.
Windschmitt has a Master of Science degree in Information Technology from Carnegie Mellon University and a graduate certificate in Operations Research from Columbia University. He is a member of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, as well as the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers.
Quandel Consultants has provided engineering solutions for the railroad and rail transit industry for four decades, the company said. Services provided by Quandel Consultants include program management, engineering, planning, operations analysis and construction management. Quandel Consultants has completed work for Departments of Transportation across the U.S., including Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Florida.
