President-elect Donald Trump said he has selected David Fink to become administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.
In a post today on Truth Social, Trump said Fink is a “fifth-generation railroader” who “will bring his 45-plus years of transportation leadership and success, which will deliver the FRA into a new era of safety and technological innovation.”
David Armstrong Fink is a former president of Pan Am Railways and son of the late David Andrew Fink, a career railroader who worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad and Penn Central before serving as president of Guilford Transportation, later rebranded as Pan Am Railways.
The younger Fink began his career with General Motors in the 1980s, and became Pan Am Railways president in 2006 after serving as executive vice president in 1998. He remained president through Pan Am’s acquisition by CSX Transportation, a deal announced in 2020 and approved in April 2022 [see “CSX to acquire New England regional …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 30, 2020. He also helped start lumber products firm Aroostook & Bangor Resources.
Chuck Baker, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, said in a statement that his organization is “excited to support” Fink’s nomination.
“David will bring a fulsome understanding of the entirety of the unique, interconnected U.S. freight rail network,” Baker said. “As the CEO of short line railroad Pan Am Railways prior to its sale, David was an active and respected participant in our association. Under his leadership, Pan Am was an industry-award-winning company. He has extensive experience interacting with all of the relevant stakeholders in the rail industry.
“We know him as a high energy, solution-minded strategist, and, following his confirmation, look forward to working with him on smart regulations that advance the safety of rail in the U.S. and on expediting the FRA’s critical infrastructure investment programs.”
The FRA post requires confirmation by the Senate.
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