As corporations extend their footprint into new geographies or new types of operations they face many challenges, not least of which is the potential for unexpected losses that can damage operations, corporate reputation, brand and business performance. Establishing strong and safe operational performance in a new business from day one demands a focused approach to managing change during mobilization. This paper introduces some pragmatic good practices, leveraging recent developments in the rail sector, which can be deployed in what is often a poorly managed process, to avoid unexpected losses and deliver a smoother startup.