Michael Cleary is a Senior Consultant with Engineering Systems Inc. specializing in freight railroad operations. He has more than ten years of railroad leadership experience in safety-critical, continuous-operation freight environments. His experience includes railroad operating practices, rules compliance, yard and terminal operations, crew performance and actions, incident analysis, regulatory considerations, and technical reporting.
Mr. Cleary’s background is grounded in direct operating experience with a major Class I freight railroad. He began his railroad career as a conductor and advanced through roles including train master, manager of train operations, and assistant superintendent. Across these positions, he worked in both hump and flat-switching terminal environments, supervised operating crews and frontline managers, conducted operational testing, reviewed operational incidents, and evaluated railroad practices in relation to applicable operating rules and generally accepted industry standards. His work has focused on how freight railroad operations are planned, executed, supervised, and evaluated within complex unionize operating environments.
At Engineering Systems Inc., Mr. Cleary supports consulting, litigation, and investigative matters involving freight railroad operations. His work includes review of operating facts and field conditions, evaluation of crew actions and operating decisions, analysis of railroad operating rules and practices, assessment of crew compliance with applicable operating procedures, and evaluation of standard-of-care issues related to railroad operations. He also analyzes event recorder data, crew records, and train handling information in support of derailment investigations and operational assessments. He prepares clear, factual technical analyses for attorneys, clients, and other audiences without railroad operating backgrounds.