Roger Clugston, Director of the Rail Safety Division at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), is retiring after a 52-year career in the railroad industry, including 24 years with the CPUC in Bakersfield.
Clugston’s background includes early experience working alongside his father for Santa Fe Railroad, traveling throughout California and maintaining rail infrastructure. He began his professional railroad career in 1973 with Santa Fe, performing track construction and maintenance before advancing to foreman. Over more than a decade, he gained hands-on expertise in track safety and engineering.
In the 1990s, Clugston shifted roles to serve as a consultant, investigator, and expert witness on behalf of railroad workers involved in accidents. He joined the CPUC as a track inspector in 2001 and was later promoted to senior inspector. Describing his time at the agency, Clugston said: “I loved it. I learned more about railroad operations, signals, and hazardous materials. The CPUC gave me autonomy to do the job and treated me well. No more missing important family events. And people listened to my ideas for improvement and training.”
Pat Tsen, Deputy Executive Director of Consumer Policy, Transportation, and Enforcement at CPUC, highlighted Clugston’s reputation: “Roger is famous around the CPUC. No one is more knowledgeable about California’s railways and all it takes to keep them safe, and when you talk to him, you find that he also knows so much about history, music, theater and art.”
CPUC inspectors conduct visual inspections of tracks and crossings, evaluate hazmat transportation procedures, assess train control systems and equipment safety, and review overall operations. Clugston emphasized the importance of a regulatory approach: “You have to get confident in the skin of a regulator first,” he said. “When you’re working around the railroad, your stance is, ‘I’m not your friend, but I’m here to help.’” He added that inspectors should always refer directly to written regulations rather than relying on memory.
Clugston played a key role in launching California’s first state railway bridge and tunnel inspection programs during his tenure at CPUC.
In 2019 he became the inaugural director of CPUC’s newly organized Rail Safety Division. The division now has 125 employees who oversee safety across 10,000 miles of freight and commuter railways in California as well as 12,000 rail crossings and all new railway construction projects.
Pat Tsen further stated: “The thing Roger brings to the people of California is the full-on commitment to public safety above all else. The CPUC is the only agency in the U.S. that invests in rail safety and saving lives to this level.”
Clugston’s personal interests include music—he taught himself guitar, mandolin, fiddle—and hosting a folk radio program; playwriting; acting; community theater direction; oil painting; and spending time with his six children and five grandchildren.
Reflecting on his career path from entry-level inspector to division director without a college degree Clugston said: “This work is the highlight of my career,” Roger said. “I came into the CPUC as an entry level inspector and moved up to director, and without a college degree. You can do anything if you’re willing to work hard for it.”
As he retires from public service this summer he plans to focus on painting projects and travel.
