Fred Woolsey, 56, a longtime consultant to commuter rail systems and engineering firms, died Feb. 22 following a battle with cancer.

Woolsey worked in the rail industry for more than 37 years, beginning with MTA Long Island Rail Road in 1974 and also serving ABB Traction/Adtranz, now Bombardier. At the time of his death, he was principal consultant for Interfleet Technology and a senior consultant with LTK Engineering Services, both in the Philadelphia area.

During his career, Woolsey was responsible for technical achievements including project management; electrical engineering, systems engineering, and systems integration; hardware and software safety engineering; and engineering oversight. Among his significant contributions to the industry was his role in implementing the first complete North American rollout of the IEEE 1473 train data network standard for communications.

Information on the service is available from Jamie Krakow. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, American Cancer Society, or World Vision.