Plasser American tamper machine gift to support Penn State Altoona RTE program

ALTOONA, Pa. — Penn State Altoona has received an in-kind gift from industrial equipment supplier Plasser American Corporation that will enhance the college’s Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE) program curriculum.

The gift is a GRM2000 tamper, valued at approximately $200,000, that will support hands-on education, research, and industry-aligned training for students in the RTE program.

"Education is not a donation for us,” said Thomas Blechinger, president and CEO of Plasser American, at a gift acceptance ceremony held May 13. “It is an investment in the next generation of engineers and industry leaders who will carry the backbone of our nation forward.”

Plasser American, based in Chesapeake, Virginia, develops, manufactures and services railway maintenance machines for a wide variety of purposes. Tampers restore ideal track position by lifting, leveling and lining the track and compacting the ballast underneath ties.

The GRM2000 is a fully functional, working machine that will help bridge the gap between theory and real-world railroad practice, giving students hands-on exposure to modern track maintenance operations and enhancing their understanding of train–track interaction while also strengthening workforce readiness by aligning training with industry-standard equipment.

Penn State Altoona leaders view the donation as a key element in ensuring experiential learning for students in the evolving rail-focused workforce development hub, said Ron Darbeau, chancellor and dean of Penn State Altoona.

“We are grateful to our partners at Plasser American for the charitable donation of the tamper and for training our faculty and staff to master its use,” Darbeau said. “Their generosity is consistent with the spirit that this is a program developed by the rail industry, for the rail industry, a commitment that echoes in Plasser’s most recent philanthropy.”

At the ceremony, Blechinger emphasized Penn State Altoona’s RTE program as the nation’s first and only ABET accredited bachelor of science degree and recognized it as a vital national asset.

“We believe in what you are doing here. We looked at it closely, and we wanted to be a part of it, not just today but going forward," Blechinger said. "This is an important investment in the next generation of rail engineers and in the long-term strength, safety and future of America’s rail network.”

Another speaker at the event, Joe Carter, graduated from the RTE program in 2024. He is now employed at Penn State Altoona as part-time engineering lab support as well as with the Everett Railroad Company in Hollidaysburg.

“Hands-on experience is one of the most critical aspects of being an RTE student,” Carter said. “In an industry that is so unique and complex, there are just some things that you can’t be taught in a classroom. Sometimes the best lessons are the ones learned with boots on the ground and hands covered in the never-ending supply of grime that the railroad has to offer.”

The tamper will be stored in the Harry Bennett Memorial Roundhouse of the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum where another piece of equipment used for RTE classes, an SD60i freight locomotive, is also kept.

Gifts like this advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.