Georgetown Rail Equipment Co. (GREX®) Founder and Chairman Emeritus Edwin de Steiguer "Ned" Snead passed away Jan. 22, 2015, in Georgetown, Tex., GREX said in a statement Jan. 28. Snead was 85.
Snead founded GREX in 1993, based on several patents for products he had developed, including for items such as the DumpTrain® and the Slot Train. He eventually accumulated a total of 25 patents awarded to him. Snead also was wrote several books and essays.
In partnership with his father, E.B. Snead, Ned Snead launched Snead Research Laboratory in 1979 as the project development arm of Georgetown Railroad, the latter founded by E.B. Snead in 1958.
GREX said Snead's innovative engineering ideas, designs, and creativity helped pave the way for many improvements in rail industry practices.