Compass Rail Welcomes New CEO, Shane Keller

Exciting times are ahead for Compass Rail Services! We've achieved national recognition as a leading railcar inspection and repair service, acting as the RRA for Class II, III, and now Class I railroads. Our Mobile Repair (MRU) business is thriving, tackling ambitious projects, and successfully completing our C6r Certification in McAlester—with three more locations preparing for certification. Along the way, we've faced challenges, learned, adapted, and continued growing both as a company and as individuals. 

To sustain and accelerate this growth, Compass Rail’s ownership has determined that we must align our operations with the demands of a larger, more complex organization. A key part of this transformation is bringing in a leader with experience in scaling operations, managing substantial teams, and driving profitable growth.

With that in mind, we are thrilled to welcome Shane Keller as our new CEO. Shane recently retired from Union Pacific Railroad after more than 32 years of service. His expertise spans Mechanical, Engineering, Transportation, Dispatching, Crew Management, Intermodal, Automotive, Joint Facilities, and Service Design. He concluded his tenure as Senior Vice President of Operations, Northern Region at Union Pacific.

We are fortunate to have Shane join Compass Rail out of retirement, bringing his deep industry knowledge and leadership experience. Starting today, June 2, 2025, Shane will be visiting our locations, meeting the team, and gaining insight into our evolving needs. Expect additional organizational updates in the near future.

Please join us in welcoming Shane Keller to Compass Rail Services!

Cliff Bowman Joins Compass Rail as Chief Safety Officer

Compass Rail is proud to welcome Cliff Bowman as our new Chief Safety Officer. Cliff brings more than 30 years of railroad experience, having begun his journey as a track laborer pounding spikes—earning his stripes the hard way and never losing touch with the frontline.

From his early field days to leading high-performing teams across mechanical, track, and transportation sectors, Cliff has earned a reputation as a respected, hands-on leader with an exceptional understanding of railroad operations. 

Known affectionately as “Coach,” a nod to his roots as the son of a Texas high school football coach, Cliff’s positive attitude, relentless drive, and team-building spirit have inspired excellence everywhere he’s led. His dynamic leadership style has guided teams across Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, St. Louis, Wichita, Portland, and Louisiana, many of which have ranked among the safest and most productive in the industry.

Cliff’s “boots-on-the-ground” approach and unwavering commitment to safety perfectly align with our values at Compass Rail. He’s energized to join our mission and is dedicated to advancing our safety culture with experience, enthusiasm, and authenticity.  Cliff and Scott will work together to ensure we stay on the path to world class safety.

Please join us in giving Cliff a warm Compass welcome as he steps into this pivotal role!