Operational experience, systematic thinking and a clear focus on practical solutions define my work.
My view of railway operations is strongly shaped by many years of practical experience. My perspective on railway operations is strongly shaped by hands-on practice for nearly 20 years. Having worked in active operations for many years, I experience daily how sensitively the system reacts to various influences.
Raised in Lower Saxony between the Harz mountains and the Heide, I knew early on that my career path would lead to the railway. After school, I began my training as a "Railwayman in Operational Service" (specialising in train driving and transport) at the former Railion Deutschland AG (today known as DB Cargo AG) in Hanover.
There, I learned railway operations from the ground up: classic train formation, shunting with drag shoes, servicing sidings and private infrastructure, as well as operating transfer freight trains.
After my apprenticeship, I stayed at DB Cargo AG but switched to Karlsruhe, where I worked at the railway terminal of MiRO refinery. My tasks included forming and dispersing trains, driving shunting locomotives, working as a shunting attendant, dispatching, and the operational handling of tank car loading.
A subsequent role at DB Regio Baden-Württemberg in Freiburg im Breisgau expanded my view to include passenger transport.
Moving to SBB GmbH at Lörrach shifted my focus to cross-border traffic. As a locomotive driver on the lines of the tri-national S-Bahn Basel, I was directly confronted with the interfaces between different national operating systems. Additionally I worked as shunting attendant for car trains, where my duties were helping to load cars and prepare the train for depature.
In parallel, I completed a degree in Theology at Middlesex University (London). Admission was granted based on my professional qualifications and additional exams.
Although this did not lead to a direct career change, the degree provided core competencies that shape my work today: analytical thinking, structured work with complex content, and the ability to communicate demanding issues clearly for decision-makers.
Today, I work for BLS AG in Spiez and remain active in operational railway service. This continuous involvement ensures that my perspective remains focused on the reality of the tracks.
Since 2024, I have been complementing my practical experience with a part-time degree in Railway Technology and Mobility at the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences. Like before, admission was granted based on my professional qualifications and additional exams.
The idea for this advisory service originally arose from practical experience: Ideas for improving rail operations often fail not because of their quality, but because they do not reach the relevant decision-makers or are not placed in the right context.
This led to my approach of taking a systemic view of organisational issues and formulating solutions in such a way that they can actually be implemented within existing structures.
My work stems from a deep passion for the railways. My motivation is to play my part in ensuring that the railways can further strengthen their role as an efficient and sustainable transport system in Europe.