This week on The Switch Point, Joe sits down with Axiom team members Tina and Jess for another “Off the Rails” episode—an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at the people helping build the company from the ground up.

From chaotic office stories and Nerf gun wars to company growth, leadership philosophy, and scaling a business without losing culture, this episode dives deep into what makes Axiom Rail Services different from the typical workplace.

The team talks about:

• Growing from a tiny office into a rapidly expanding operation
• Building in-house railroad inspector training programs
• Why company culture matters more than résumés
• The balancing act between budgets, growth, and big ideas
• What it’s really like working inside a fast-moving rail company
• Conferences, branding, recruiting, and the future of Axiom
• Team bonding, Topgolf plans, office dynamics, and workplace humor

Plus, things go completely off the rails with zombie apocalypse debates, office superlatives, expense-report arguments, and brutally honest takes on what makes people actually stay at a company long term.

It’s funny, candid, chaotic, and probably the most honest look yet at the personalities behind the brand.

Because at the end of the day, the culture behind the company matters just as much as the work itself.

This week on The Switch Point, Joe dives into one of the most overlooked conversations in modern railroading: security.

From train robberies and cargo theft to hazmat risks, border security, and protecting railroad crews in the field, this episode breaks down the real-world threats facing the rail industry—and why most companies are dangerously underprepared.

Joe shares firsthand experiences from rail operations across the country, including incidents involving train theft, crew assaults, trespassing, and security failures that directly impact communities, customers, and the economy itself.

Inside this episode:

• Why intermodal freight has become a major theft target
• How criminals study train schedules and exploit predictable operations
• The hidden dangers railroad crews face while working in isolated areas
• Why rail security impacts pricing, shipping times, and the national economy
• How hazmat transportation ties directly into national security concerns
• The role law enforcement should play in rail operations and emergency response
• Why most rail security programs are reactive instead of proactive
• How transload facilities are becoming one of the industry’s biggest security vulnerabilities

Joe also explores how military veterans and law enforcement professionals can bring valuable insight into improving rail safety and security planning—and why the industry needs to start thinking differently before problems become disasters.

This episode is a deep dive into the side of railroading most people never see—but one that affects everyone.

Because security isn’t just about protecting freight. It’s about protecting people, communities, and the future of the industry itself.

This week on The Switch Point, Joe sits down with longtime friend and newly appointed Director of Operations, Mike Thomason, for one of the most unfiltered episodes yet.

From near misses and derailments to stubborn old-head railroaders and absolute chaos in the field, the two swap stories from years spent working in rail operations, training crews, and dealing with the reality of transload safety culture.

This episode dives into:

• The dangerous habits railroaders develop over time
• Why bad training creates bigger problems down the road
• Near-miss stories that still stick with them today
• The chaos of radio communication during switching operations
• Why transload rail operations are becoming the “new face” of railroading
• The disconnect between ownership, management, and safety in the field
• What separates experienced railroaders from people just “playing railroad”

But it’s not all serious—Joe and Mike also get into office Nerf wars, Texas vs. Midwest culture, road trip playlists, conference season chaos, and what it’s like bringing military-style camaraderie into the rail industry.

This one is raw, hilarious, brutally honest, and packed with the kind of stories only railroaders can tell.

Welcome back to The Switch Point.