1 

FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION

RAILROAD TRESPASS SUMMIT

April 27, 2022

Location: Holiday Inn

30 Washington Street

Somerville, MA 02143

Purpose of Summit – Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), local, and railroad stakeholders will identify and share 

leading industry practices and explore new local strategies to reduce the number of right-of-way and trespasser 

incidents and fatalities. Subject matter experts and local authorities will discuss the effects trespassing has on their 

communities, the roots of trespassing, and recommendations of future actions to reduce incidents. 

Time Focus Speakers

8:00 AM–8:30 AM Registration

• Registration

FRA, Massachusetts Bay 

Transportation Authority 

(MBTA)/Keolis

8:30 AM–9:00 AM Welcome and Introductions

• Safety briefing

• Agenda, goals, introductions

• Welcoming remarks

• Railroad grade crossing and trespassing data – national 

and local

Michail Grizkewitsch, Transportation 

Specialist – FRA 

Steven Illich, Railroad Administrator – 

FRA

Steven Poftak, General Manager –

MBTA

Abdellah Chajai, CEO – Keolis 

Commuter Services

9:00 AM–10:00 AM Data Analysis of Area of Trespasser Incidents

FRA 

• Overview of railroad grade crossing and trespassing 

data analysis 

• Data analysis of New England area

MBTA/Keolis

• Analytics on trespassing and suicide incidents

FRA 

• Reducing accidents and fatalities at highway and 

pedestrian rail grade crossings

Michail Grizkewitsch 

Norma Jean Griffiths, Railroad Safety 

Inspector – FRA 

Cynthia Delaney, Safety – MBTA 

Christopher Harrington, Director of 

Security/Training – Keolis 

Manuel Machado, Systems Specialist 

– Keolis

Frank Frey, General Engineer – FRA

10:15 AM–10:30 AM Break

10:30 AM–12:00 PM Local Railroad Trespassing Mitigation Strategies 

FRA 

• Overview of railroad trespassing issues and prevention 

strategies for the states in New England

MBTA/Keolis

• Overview of railroad trespassing issues and prevention 

strategies

Amtrak

• Overview of railroad trespassing issues and prevention 

strategies

South Coast Rail and MA DOT 

• Overview of railroad trespassing issues and prevention 

strategies

Norma Jean Griffiths

Ryan Coholan, Chief Railroad Officer

– MBTA

Robert Hanson, Detective – Amtrak

Jean Fox, Outreach Director – South

Coast Rail 

Randy Hunt, Senior Director of 

Administration – South Coast Rail 

12:00 PM–1:00 PM Lunch - Provided
2 

1:00 PM–2:15 PM Railroad Trespassing Treatments and Tools 

Low-Cost Treatments

• Overview of trespassing treatments

• CARE Model

Trespassing and Suicide Toolkit

• Demonstration for stakeholders to filter the 

countermeasures to find solutions that address their 

individual priorities

Francesco Bedini Jacobini, Program 

Manager – FRA

Marco daSilva, Mechanical Engineer – 

Volpe Center

Dr. Shala Blue, Engineering 

Psychologist – FRA

Scott Gabree, Engineering Research 

Psychologist – Volpe Center

2:15 PM–2:30 PM Break

2:30 PM–3:45PM Community and Public Outreach Engagement 

Operation Lifesaver, Inc

• Overview of railroad trespassing educational and 

prevention strategies.

Fitchburg Police Department 

• Overview of railroad trespassing enforcement program

Worcester Police Department

• Overview of railroad trespassing enforcement program

Keolis

• Overview of railroad trespassing environmental issues

August Greiner, Railroad Safety 

Inspector – FRA

Rachel Maleh, President – Operation 

Lifesaver, Inc 

Lt. Jeffrey Howe, Community 

Relations – Fitchburg Police 

Department 

Kristi Fritscher, Crime Analyst/Grant 

Writer – Fitchburg Police Department 

Daniel Cahill, Angel Rivera –

Worcester Police Department

Kellie Andrews, Vice President of 

Safety – Keolis

3:45 PM–4:30 PM US Department of Transportation Funding Opportunities

• Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety 

Improvements (CRISI) grants 

MA DOT Funding Opportunities 

• Coordination between Massachusetts Department of 

Transportation (MA DOT), cities, and railroads 

Sergio Coronado, Transportation 

Industry Analyst – FRA 

Meredith Slesinger, Administrator for 

Rail and Transit Division – MA DOT

4:30 PM–5:00pm Wrap-Up and Next Steps Michail Grizkewitsch