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J. V. B. Duer (A´15, F´29) electrical engineer of the Pennsylvania Railroad, Philadelphia, Pa., has been appointed to the position of chief electrical engineer of the company. Mr. Duer was born at Poultney, Vt., in 1882, and graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1903, with the degree of mechanical engineer. Upon graduation he became an electrical apprentice for the General Electric Company, spending one year at Lynn, Mass., and 2 years at Schenectady, N. Y. From 1906 until 1910, he was with the Long Island Railroad as wire-man, electrical inspector, and chief clerk to the train master of electrified lines. In 1910, he was transferred to the Pennsylvania Railroad and for the following 3 years, while electric operation was being inaugurated into Pennsylvania Station, New York City, was foreman of motormen at New York, having responsible charge, qualifying, supervision, and discipline of men operating electric locomotives and trains, as well as supervision of the electric locomotives. From 1913 to 1919, he was assistant electrical engineer in charge of electrical work east of Pittsburgh and Erie, Pa., for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and was promoted to electrical engineer of that division in 1919. In 1920 his duties were extended to cover the entire system of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and he held this position until his recent promotion. In the recent project of electrifying between New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, Mr. Duer supervised not only the roadway construction, but also the designing and production of the new streamlined electric locomotives. Mr. Duer has served the Institute as a member of its committee on transportation for many years, having been chairman 1926–28. He has presented articles on electric traction before the Institute and other organizations. In 1922, he was a delegate to the International Railway Congress in Italy, and in 1930 was reporter for America to the International Congress on Electric Locomotives- for Main Line Traction. He is chairman of the electrical section of the Association of American Railroads, and a member of the St. Nicholas Society of New York.