A Cranemasters Journey:
From Track Laborer to Track Department Manager
- Spring 2026
- Cranemasters
When Jerardo Garcia joined Cranemasters on May 13, 2019, he started at the ground level as a track laborer. Today, just a few years later, he manages the company’s Track Department in Candor, North Carolina—a progression that says as much about Garcia’s values as it does about the culture inside Cranemasters.
Jerardo Garcia,
Track Department Manager, Candor, NC Division, Cranemasters, Inc.
Garcia’s story reflects the kind of opportunity that still exists in the railroad industry: work hard, learn from experienced people, and grow into leadership.
“I was a laborer for probably three years before I got promoted to supervisor,” Garcia said during a recent interview. “I wasn’t a supervisor for very long. I got promoted to assistant manager in Merrillville, Indiana… and now I’m here in North Carolina.”
That path was not accidental. According to Garcia, experienced leaders at Cranemasters invested time teaching newer employees the craft. He specifically credits mentors like Keith Sears, Bailey Harrell, Shawn Martin, and Andy Novotony for helping him develop both technical knowledge and leadership skills.
That hands-on mentorship is critical in a field as demanding as railroad track construction and repair. Cranemasters crews handle everything from thermite welding and switch replacement to crane rail construction, track alignment, bridge work, and emergency response projects. The company’s Track Construction and Repair division specializes in large-scale maintenance, capital projects, new rail construction, inspections, and complex track installations across the country.
“I think it’s just having good people in the right positions,” Garcia said. “Experienced guys that are willing to teach new guys.”
—Jerardo Garcia, Candor Track Department Manager, Cranemasters
Garcia has already worked on some of the company’s most challenging projects. He recently managed a crane rail construction job in Newport News, Virginia, where the crew installed 1,100 feet of new crane rail in just 11 days—reopening the track well ahead of schedule. He has also helped lead major rail infrastructure work in Chicago, Detroit, and at industrial coal handling facilities.
The work is intense, often involving long hours, extreme weather, and massive equipment. But Garcia says the reward comes from seeing what the teams accomplish together.“It’s hard to believe that we can do that much work in that little amount of time,” he said. “You see how fast we get an immense amount of work done.”
Despite the demanding environment, Garcia repeatedly emphasized the strong camaraderie among Cranemasters crews. Railroad jobs often require employees to travel and spend long stretches together, creating close bonds between team members.
“We’re always together,” Garcia said. “We talk about our families all the time.”
That sense of teamwork also extends to safety. Garcia described how experienced workers watch out for newer employees, especially those identified by green stripes on their hard hats.
“You see a guy with a green stripe on his hard hat, some of the more experienced guys take that person under their wing and make sure he’s safe,” Garcia said. “We don’t ever want to see somebody get injured.”
Garcia himself first came to Cranemasters because of a friendship. He and current manager Bailey Harrell grew up together, played basketball together, and eventually both built careers
with Cranemasters.
Today, Garcia says he plans to stay with Cranemasters long term.
“I like what we do. I like the people that I work with,” he said. “I think I’ll be around for a while.”
For Cranemasters, Garcia’s journey illustrates something the company has quietly built over decades: a workplace where experienced railroaders pass knowledge forward, where hard work is recognized, and where employees can build lasting careers from the ground up.