Laing Promoted to HDR East Region Systems Lead

Written by Andrew Corselli
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Nugent Laing, MBA, MIEE, has been promoted to serve as HDR’s East Region Systems Lead for rail and transit.

Located in Pittsburgh, Laing will aim to provide leadership in all aspects of planning, design and implementation of core technical systems needed for rail and transit projects, such as signaling communications, power delivery, traction power and train control systems. He will also work with other transportation modes that correlate with rail and transit systems, particularly on emerging technology applications.

Laing also recently stepped up to serve as HDR’s automated people mover practice group lead. Automated people mover technology aims to reduce vehicle traffic congestion and “can be easily connected to regional rail or mass transit at strategic points to further improve mobility.” Laing and his team will hope to fill a need for independent technical assistance during design, implementation and operation.

Bringing 29 years of experience on rail projects, Laing has delivered projects nationally in New York and Washington, D.C., as well as globally in the United Kingdom, Spain, Denmark, Australia and South Korea. His primary area of expertise is train control and systems, including moving block communications-based train control and traditional signaling. Laing also possesses hands-on experience working with products from the major suppliers, including Bombardier, Thales, Siemens and Alstom. He served as the design/test engineer for high-profile projects, including the 67-mile Channel Tunnel Rail Link that speeds trips between the United Kingdom and France.

Laing earned his Master’s in project management from MidAmerica University in Olathe, Kansas, and a higher electronic/electrical engineering diploma from Croydon College/University of Greenwich in London. He’s involved with the American Public Transportation Association.

“Nugent brings an incomparable depth of knowledge about APMs and the necessary systems to work with clients around the globe,” said HDR’s East Region Transportation Director Eli Khoury. “He will help HDR provide unbiased, independent technical expertise and service to our clients, enabling them to find better solutions to their transportation challenges.”

“HDR already has extensive experience in the delivery of significant rail transit systems and APMs both nationally and globally,” said Laing. “I’m excited about the opportunity to expand that work as evolving modes of transportation, such as automated and connected vehicles and electrified mobility, increasingly play a role in point to point transit.”

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