When you are working in a high-profile industry like rail, it takes more than just deep technical know-how. It requires the experience and industry focus to understand the day-to-day operational challenges, complex regulatory environment, and potential for catastrophic losses.
A veteran of the rail industry, Philip Daum brings firsthand experience, insights and leadership gained from decades of working for and partnering with some of North America’s leading rail companies – providing the full range of engineering services, including design, manufacturing standards, quality standards, industry association leadership, regulatory compliance and fleet management services for leased rail car fleets valued at several billion dollars.
Now, as a Principal at ESi, Mr. Daum contributes both technical leadership and the wealth of operational insight that have helped establish him as a recognized expert in the areas of freight, passenger, and transit railroads, transportation equipment, and hazardous materials. His recent investigations include multiple high profile, large loss derailments, including the freight train derailment at Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada, a hazardous material derailment at Paulsboro, New Jersey, and a large hazardous material release in the Ohio River Valley.
On the operational side, Mr. Daum has specific expertise in the design of railroad rolling stock, bogies, brake systems, cushioning systems, valves, pressure relief devices, safety equipment, and operating components. He is also sought out for technology evaluations, intellectual property analyses, equipment qualifications, and maintenance assessments.
Whether he is being tapped to investigate a complex, large loss accident investigation or to evaluate rail equipment for reliability, durability, crashworthiness, safety, or regulatory compliance, Mr. Daum’s clients know he brings a comprehensive approach and an understanding of the industry that is second to none.
Mr. Daum has a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Areas of Expertise
Publications
- Assessment Best Practices - Tank Car Damage, Contributors: Hazardous Materials Committee of the Association of American Railroads, May 2021
- Review of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Research and Development Program, Transportation Research Board Special Report 334, Consensus Study Report of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, December 2020
- Energy Transportation Safety on the Rails: Historical Perspectives on Applied and Cooperative Research, TR News, June 2015
Case Studies
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Explosion at Fertilizer Distribution Facility
In West Texas, a fire broke out in a wood-frame building where fertilizer sold to local farmers was stored.
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Pedestrian Injury Resulting from Standing in the Foul of a Commuter Train
A pedestrian waiting for a southbound train on Track 1 walked through an opening in the guardrail surrounding a ground-level platform and into the "foul" of Track 2, defined as the four-foot-wide area on either side of the track that the train occupies as it passes through the area.
