From the Editor: Join us virtually for RailTrends 2020

Earlier this month, we announced the agenda for RailTrends® 2020, which will be held virtually Nov. 19-20. RailTrends is presented by Progressive Railroading.

Joining us will be CSX President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Foote, who will receive the 2020 Railroad Innovator Award. And at least a couple other Class I President/CEOs will be with us, as well: CN’s Jean-Jacques Ruest and Canadian Pacific’s Keith Creel. 

Also representing Class Is will be Beth Whited, executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Union Pacific Railroad; Alan Shaw, EVP and chief marketing officer, Norfolk Southern Corp.; and Mike Walczak, VP of network planning and treasurer, Kansas City Southern.

From the short-line set, panelists will include Michael Bostwick, EVP and chief commercial officer, Pan Am Railways; Eric Jakubowski, VP and CCO, Anacostia Rail Holdings Co.; Stefan Loeb, EVP and CCO, Watco Cos. LLC; Michael Miller, president, North America, Genesee & Wyoming Inc.; and Alin Campian, VP of commercial strategy and yield management, R. J. Corman Railroad Group.

As ever, our kick-off “State of the Rail Industry” panel will touch all the North American bases. Speakers include Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads; Chuck Baker, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association; Marc Brazeau, president and CEO of the Railway Association of Canada; and Ashley Wieland, president of the National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association. 

In a separate session, Surface Transportation Board Vice Chairman Patrick Fuchs will provide another Washington perspective.

Other presenters include Integrity Rail Partners Inc.’s Dick Kloster, who will share his freight-car market insights; Oliver Wyman’s Rod Case; and Loop Capital Markets LLC’s Rick Paterson, Gross Transportation Consulting’s Larry Gross and ABH Consulting’s Tony Hatch, who will serve on our annual analysts’ panel. Hatch is RailTrends’ co-founder and program consultant.

Attendees will be able to pose questions directly to RailTrends’ speakers through our virtual platform. They’ll also be able to network virtually with a range of industry stakeholders. 

For more information about RailTrends 2020 or to register, visit railtrends.com.