Avtec Incorporated

Troy Branning founded Avtec in August 1979 after a career in radio development and manufacturing with Comco, GE, and Wabco. The small engineering consulting firm specialized in serving the railroad industry. In 1981, Avtec launched the Advanced Concept Communications Exchange and Signaling System (ACCESS), a multi-user, computer-based, radio-telephone console system for the Atchison Topeka and Sante Fe Railroad. ACCESS was improved with redundancy and color touchscreen during the 1980’s, and was deployed by many of the major U.S. Railroads, including CSX, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Burlington Northern, Denver & Rio Grande . Many of these Railroads remain Avtec clients today.