Reading & Northern announces the promotions of Daren Geschwindt to vice president distribution services and Dustin Berndt to vice president of motive power.

Berndt joined Reading & Northern in 2000, when he started working in the locomotive shop.

In 2012, he was named assistant vice president motive power in recognition of his hard work and dedication to improving RBMN’s locomotive fleet.

During his tenure in the locomotive shop, Berndt has seen the Reading & Northern’s locomotive fleet grow from 15 engines when he was hired in 2000 to the 40-plus locomotives his shop now manages on a daily basis. Along with the engine house crew of seven mechanics and two electricians, Berndt ensures the safety and efficiency of the locomotive fleet through scheduled inspections and routine maintenance in addition to identifying new locomotives for purchase as well as mechanical upgrades to the Reading & Northern’s fleet.

Berndt was born and raised in Oley, and graduated from Oley Valley High School, and the Berks Career and Technology Center in Oley. He is married to Denise Berndt, and has two sons, Dylan and Devin.

Geschwindt started working at the Reading & Northern in 1994 when he was hired as an assistant traffic clerk.

During his career, Geshwindt worked on the transportation side of the railroad working as a dispatcher and a conductor from 1996 through to 2001.

In 2001 he also received his engineer license and was promoted to manager of operating rules and safety. Two years later he was named director of operations compliance and then in 2009 he became assistant vice president of operations planning.

In 2012, Geshwindt returned to the commercial side of the company when he was appointed assistant vice president customer service operations. In 2016 he was asked to take on a number of special assignments including the transition to becoming an interline railroad and managing the transload operations as assistant vice president merchandise traffic.

In his new position as vice president distribution services, Geshwindt will be managing the Reading & Northern’s transload operations, including the warehouse as well as overseeing the operations of the Reading Railroad Transfer LLC.

Geschwindt graduated from Hamburg Area High School in 1994 and is married to Ann Geschwindt, and has three sons, Tyler, Travis and Connor. Geshwindt’s interests include railroad history, genealogy, transportation and nature photography, and attending his children’s sporting and school events.

In announcing their recent promotions, President Wayne Michel said, “It is always a pleasure to promote homegrown talent. Dustin and Daren have been with us for the better part of the last two decades. They have both shown tremendous growth. Dustin proved himself both a master mechanic and an excellent supervisor. As our locomotive fleet grew, Dustin grew with it. Now we have close to fifty locomotives and we have a superb leader in Dustin.”