January 21, 2022 - TRA Newswire -

Forget about Infrastructure Week. 2022 is shaping up to be Infrastructure Year.

With less than 70 days to go before the 18th Annual Southwestern Rail Conference, the buzz about the Infrastructure Act has everyone wondering about the possibilities for future rail projects. Those ideas will be fleshed out during the Premier Rail Conference of the Southwest on Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Campbell Centre, Dallas.

Two key members that sit on House Transportation, the Honorable Eddie Bernice Johnson and Colin Allred, will be guests of honor at the Friday, April 1 luncheon.

Allison Fultz, Chief Counsel for the Federal Railroad Administration, will highlight the agency's role in this generational sea change for both freight and passenger rail.  Terry Canales, Chair of the Texas House Transportation Committee, will give attendees his view for the future of rail in the multi-modal mix. Ray Lang, Vice-President of State Supported Services for Amtrak, will discuss the Amtrak ConnectsUS vision for more corridor passenger train service  in Texas and across the nation. The Texas Department of Transportation has a new Rail Division Director and Jeff Davis will present his take on the importance of rail in the Lone Star state.

Two freight rail panels will highlight of the conference. One of the panels will focus on technology - how one of the oldest industries in the country is adapting to new ideas and ways to grow market share. The second panel will be an interesting Q&A with members of the Texas Railroad Association, the oldest trade association in the state, serving the railroad industry since 1890. Designates from Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway and the Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association will take questions on a wide variety of topics.

A list of presenters can be found on the conference website page: http://texasrailadvocates.org/2022-southwestern-rail-conference/

Registration is still available at the Early Bird discounted rate, however it is capacity controlled and can be withdrawn at any time.

The rail conference begins with a traditional mix n' mingle hour Thursday evening, March 31 followed by dinner and a special presentation. The Friday, April 1 rail event will start at 8:30 am and run until 4:30 pm.

The Southwestern Rail Conference is hosted yearly by Texas Rail Advocates, a 501(c)3 grass roots non-profit. It's mission is to facilitate Texas' economic growth and enhance the quality of life enjoyed by its people by advancing the development of rail service to its full potential as a carrier of freight and passengers.

The rail conference is made possible by these sponsors: