Reading & Northern Railroad has announced the expansion of its coal marketing department.

Effective Jan. 1, Jim Cerulli joined the team as vice president of coal marketing. He joins Bill Clark, senior vice president of coal marketing; Mike Sharadin, assistant vice president of equipment, and the customer service staff who handle all RBMN’s business under vice president of customer service Susan Ludwig.

In his new job, Cerulli, who joined the railroad in 2015, will take the lead on dealing with the coal shippers along the RBMN rail system.

He will manage the coal service network, car supply for the shippers, relations with the shippers, and development of additional on-line coal facilities.

Clark will focus on growing the business with an emphasis on domestic steel mills.

He will also take the lead on relations with other railroads, primarily Norfolk Southern.

Sharadin, who has been with RBMN since 1996, will be responsible for all rail car related issues on the railroad with a strong emphasis on making sure that the railroad’s extensive fleet of coal cars is kept in good operating condition and available for use by RBMN customers.

“Coal has been the backbone of Reading & Northern from the day I purchased the coal lines from Conrail 19 years ago, said Andy Muller Jr., CEO/owner of RBMN. “Thanks to the efforts of Bill and our team we are now positioned to enjoy significant growth in the coal business. Once again we are showing RBMN is the road of anthracite.”

Wayne Michel, RBMN’s president said, “Since Bill Clark joined our team we have been able to make great inroads into the domestic steel industry. Today we are positioned for substantial growth. In order to accomplish that growth we needed more resources.

“While Bill focuses his efforts on working with the steel mills and other users of Pennsylvania anthracite, Jim will focus on making sure we do everything needed to help the anthracite producers get their coal to market.”

Clark, Cerulli and Sharadin will all report to Michel.