US railway operator Amtrak has promoted Byl Herrmann to general counsel, replacing Eleanor ‘Eldie’ Acheson who is stepping down from the role.

Herrmann has worked in Amtrak’s legal department for more than 25 years, most recently as deputy GC and assistant corporate secretary. As GC, he will be responsible for setting the strategic vision and priorities for the legal department. He started his new role on 1 October.

Washington DC-based Amtrak operates a nationwide rail network serving more than 500 destinations across 46 states.

Stephen Gardner, Amtrak CEO, said: “Byl has helped guide the evolution of Amtrak’s law department and corporate development over many decades and brings a comprehensive and deep knowledge of all facets of the company. He’s the right person to help lead the company forward as we build a new era of rail in the United States, building upon the strong legacy set by his predecessor, Eldie Acheson.”

Hermann joined Amtrak back in 1999 as managing deputy GC, before becoming vice president for human resources in 2017 and then returning to deputy GC duties in 2018 and taking on the assistant corporate secretary role.

Prior to joining Amtrak, he specialised in labour relations, first as associate GC in the New York City Mayor’s Office for Labor Relations, and then for the American Trucking Associations and NYC Health & Hospitals Corporation.

Acheson, meantime, steps down from the GC role after 13 years. She will remain at the company until January as corporate secretary and ethics officer, which Herrmann will also take on upon her departure.

Prior to joining Amtrak, Acheson’s career included stints at the US Department of Justice as an assistant attorney general in the Office of Policy Development, having been appointed by then president Bill Clinton. She also spent almost two decades as a trial attorney at Ropes & Gray in Boston.

In other US transport moves, back in July JetBlue Airways re-hired its former associate GC Eileen McCarthy from UiPath as its new legal chief, while Greyhound bus-owner Flix North America hired James Bristow as GC from EnLink Midstream. And in May, Southwest Airlines promoted its vice president for legal, Jeff Novota, to CLO.