MxV Rail is proud to announce that Anish Poudel, PhD, Principal Investigator II with the Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) team, is among the latest ‘Fast Trackers’ who are under the age of 40 and already making a lasting positive impact in the rail industry.
According to press materials, Railway Age recognizes the best of the best along with their accomplishments in the annual awards. In 2024, the ninth year of the program, Fast Trackers represents the strength, breadth, and growth of the rail industry. Honorees are featured from across freight and passenger rail; government entities; supplier, contractor, and consultant communities. Cross-functional leadership continues to be a theme in these emerging leaders’ stories, and IT-related skills shine amongst the Fast Trackers as these skills become assimilated into traditional roles.
Poudel was honored by the award and considered it a testament to the teamwork and support among many R&D team members within and outside MxV Rail.
“The rail community keeps me motivated as we continue to strive for excellence,” said Poudel. “We support each other in maintaining the highest-level standards, so we can further safety, efficiency, reliability, and sustainability across the railways. I’m proud to join the other Fast Trackers bringing innovative ideas to the industry, even disrupting some norms, to make a positive contribution to the future of rail.”
Poudel was not always on track to be a railroader. He initially trained and worked in aerospace, and considered academics, before choosing railroad engineering as his true passion and career. He has been leading several research and development projects with MxV Rail since 2015.
Most recently, Poudel and team have been working in several areas of advanced analytics and using new technologies to monitor the health of the railways. For example, they are testing alternative methods to identify broken rails in the system, that support moving-block systems with radio communications, or solutions to dark territories where communications and cellular networks are limited, and the network is challenging to monitor. There’s also been a lot of discussion about the value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models, and Poudel is cautiously optimistic.
“AI and machine learning have the potential to help with automated data processing and advanced analytics in the back office, where right now it takes access to cloud computing power that is large and costly. In the future, using effective and efficient AI/ML models and architecture, we might handle larger amounts of data with smaller devices that can be scaled down to fit into a single car or device,” said Poudel. “It will be game-changing as we continue solving the challenges, pushing boundaries, and demonstrating how these technologies add value for the industry.”
At MxV Rail, Poudel is known for pushing the envelope and helping to create a culture conducive to groundbreaking research. “I’m glad to see Anish recognized by Railway Age, and the award is well deserved,” said Scott Cummings, MxV Rail’s AVP for Research and Innovation. “Anish is a role model in curiosity and following the science. Whether it’s a long-term research project or mentoring during our AAR University Days, Anish helps teams see the possibilities and come out strong.”
In addition to the Fast Tracker award, Poudel was recently inducted as a fellow with the American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). He leads and supports various committees in ASNT councils and in the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA). In his free time, you can find him volunteering with the local school district’s technology/AI committee, or coaching youth athletics.
