May 8, 2026 - TRA Newswire -

While the 22nd Annual Southwestern Rail Conference will concentrate on important passenger and freight rail issues that affect Texas and adjoining states, there will be time to network with other like minds and enjoy a round of virtual train driving as well. 

In conjunction with Dovetail Games UK, a leading developer of rail simulation software, attendees at the annual rail conference in Hurst will have a chance to have a virtual experience on a set of PS5 controllers with various freight and passenger rail scenarios. Dovetail recently released Train Sim World 6 software as the number of rail enthusiasts around the world and in the U.S. continue to grow.

The rail-themed software demonstration will also be open to the public in the lobby of the Hurst Conference Center on Monday, May 18 from noon to 7pm and on Tuesday, May 19 from 9am to 4pm. Access to the rail industry conference events in the main ballroom does require a registration charge. 

The rail-themed simulation software is highly detailed and offers a close-to-authentic experience featuring licensed locomotives and detailed routes world-wide. The U.S. is in a rail renaissance and the popularity of rail-themed software activity for public use continues to expand.

Dovetail Games, a Britishvideo game developer and publisher,is based in Chatham, Kent near London. They specialize in high-fidelity simulation games and are best known for creating the Train Simulator Classic and Train Sim World franchises. The company has also been engaged with rail companies on virtual training programs for their employees.

While the virtual rail demonstrations run in the lobby of the conference center, the Southwestern Rail Conference will showcase important aspects of both freight and passenger rail issues with speakers from the Federal Railroad Administration, Surface Transportation Board, Texas Department of Transportation, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Union Pacific Railroad, Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, Amtrak and others. 

Discussions at the rail conference will include new grant programs passed by the Texas legislature in 2025, the first Statewide Multimodal Transit Plan published by TxDOT, how the Federal Railroad Administration is expanding its passenger rail programs and why we are seeing more industrial rail parks popping up all over Texas.  

Late registration is still available for the Southwestern Rail Conference. The 2-Day event registration is $ 449.00 and a reservation form can be found at: https://www.texasrailadvocates.org/events/2026-southwestern-rail-conference/. The conference is subject to conference center capacity control. 

Texas Rail Advocates continues to explore ways to reach a wider audience and build public support for both passenger and freight rail in Texas and the Southwest and we thank Dovetail Games for their participation in the Southwestern Rail Conference to make this possible.