CMA releases agendas for Railway Interchange 2015 conference

The Coordinated Mechanical Associations (CMA) yesterday unveiled their agendas for the technical conferences that will take place in conjunction with the Railway Interchange 2015, the combined rail industry exhibition and conference to be held Oct. 4-7 in Minneapolis.

The CMA includes the Air Brake Association (ABA), the International Association of Railway Operating Officers (IAROO), the League of Railway Industry Women (LRIW), the Locomotive Maintenance Officers Association (LMOA) and Mechanical Association Railcar Technical Services (MARTS). CMA sessions will run Oct. 5-6.

Railway Interchange will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center and BNSF Railway Co.'s Northtown rail yard.

The CMA's technical sessions will follow the joint opening session and keynote address by retired U.S. Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill on Monday, Oct. 5. LRIW will present its “Outstanding Woman of the Year” award during the Oct. 5 opening general session.

The ABA program will feature topics including the BNSF 90 CFM test waiver, positive train control, enhanced braking, mechanical training for CFR 49 section 243 compliance, the asset health strategic initiative and asymmetrical wheel flange wear reduction. The brake systems committee will provide an update, as well.

The IAROO agenda will include a joint session with ABA on Oct. 5, and will address topics such as creative and effective operations testing, an update on liquified natural gas, and identifying and preventing human attention-related errors in railway operations.

LRIW’s speaker roster will include Joyce Rose, president and chief executive officer of Operation Lifesaver Inc.; Kari Gonzales, director of software, products and testing services at the Transportation Technology Center Inc.; Sylvia Newell, executive director of Canadian Association of Railway Suppliers; Kelly Lewis, CN sales director; and Linda Bauer Darr, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

LRIW's Women in Rail panel discussion will feature GE Transportation’s Kaleigh Reyes, CN's Roquita Coleman, Alaska Railroad's Wendy Lindskoog and International Decal Management Corp.'s Tracy DeLeon. On Oct. 6, LRIW will host its annual membership meeting followed by a technical tour of Metro Transit’s St. Paul light-rail operations and maintenance facility.

The LMOA schedule for its committee sessions will feature a presentation of technical papers on topics such as new technologies, shop safety, processes and equipment, and diesel electrical and mechanical maintenance.

The MARTS conference will feature panel discussions on topics including wayside, machine vision, and on-board asset monitoring, tank car safety and rolling stock asset health.