The DSX Team

Michael Kuehl, President

Mike’s fascination with trains began when he was a boy. He and his grandfather would visit the local trolley and train museum often. They would take a train ride along the Connecticut River, and ride a trolley the same day. When the trolley got to the end of the line, it was prepped for the return back to the depot. The Conductors kept the riders entertained with a ‘whistle test.’ Mike was always the first one in line to pull on the cord. Mike still remembers his grandfather holding him up so he could pull on the cord and hear the sound of the whistle echoing through the river valley. Since 2005, Mike has loved working in the Tourist Railroad Industry, building web-based solutions for online ticket sales and railroad management.

Kelly Cochrane, Creative Director

As a little girl, Kelly was introduced to railroading by her great grandfather. He had a train bell in his backyard and all the stories to go with it. Since, Kelly has loved trains and the railroad. Put this together with her love of events, and somewhere in the middle, you will find Kelly planning events at railroads. Having worked closely with multiple tourist railroads, she has successfully increased not only membership, but also implemented several events, many of which boast attendance over 10,000 people. Beyond the railroad events, she has an impressive client list which includes the Minnesota Twins, University of Minnesota, Thomas the Tank Engine, Mattel, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and Angelina Ballerina.

Martha Stem, Sales Director

While Martha spent much of her career in the graphic arts industry, the railroad has been a constant in the background. Her grandfather was a railroad conductor. Her parents, knowing the grand age of rail passenger travel was coming to an end, took Martha and her sister on the Santa Fe Chief from Chicago to Fort Worth. They rode in a Pullman Car. Memories from that trip include the porter and his key that magically turned a sitting room into a bedroom, the shoe-shine cubby and the dining car – it was the first time she ever had ASPARAGUS! Other rail adventures include: riding a private car via AMTRAK from Washington DC to Chicago and sharing a sleeping compartment with some bemused Russians from Moscow to St Petersburg. There was a samovar at the end of the car! Since 2013, Martha has been enjoying working with multiple tourist railroads, helping them use online tools to sell tickets, manage their operations and increase revenue with additional product offerings.