Jason Samuels, the Train Guy

About this episode

Kevin Williamson interviews Jason Samuels about his journey from military service to the rail industry and the intricacies of modern freight rail.

Kevin Williamson is joined by Jason Samuels, a former train conductor and Marine Corps veteran now working in leadership within the American rail industry. They discuss Samuels’s path from military service to railroad operations, regulation, and research, and explore how modern freight rail actually works. The conversation covers safety, automation, drones, and the vital but often invisible role rail plays in moving goods, supporting agriculture, and sustaining the U.S. economy. Watch t...

People in this episode

Host: Kevin Williamson

Guest: Jason Samuels

Topics covered

• railroad operations
• military service
• freight rail
• safety
• automation
• U.S. economy

Keywords

• train conductor
• Marine Corps veteran
• rail operations
• drones
• goods movement
• agriculture
• economy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: American rail industry

Places: U.S.

More episodes of How The World Works

• Alex Danza, the Bus Guy · May 27, 2026 · 54 min
• Wayne Crews, the Regulations Expert · April 29, 2026 · 60 min
• Jonathan Farber, the Energy Guy · March 25, 2026 · 1h 7m
• Brian Berberich, the Commercial Producer · February 25, 2026 · 1h 5m
• Dr. Scott Jones · December 24, 2025 · 59 min
• Dr. James Otteson · November 26, 2025 · 1h 8m