Texas Rail Advocates opens registration for Southwestern Rail Conference

Registration is now open for the 10th Annual Southwestern Rail Conference, which will be held Jan. 23-24 at the HolidayInn/SMU-Park Cities in Dallas.

The conference is the only all-rail, freight- and passenger-rail event held annually in the Southwest that brings together the public and private sectors to discuss important issues, according to Texas Rail Advocates (TRA), a nonprofit organization that hosts the event. Progressive Railroading is a media sponsor for the conference.

The event will include presentations by representatives from BNSF Railway Co., Union Pacific Railroad, Kansas City Southern, the Texas Department of Transportation and Texas Central High Speed Railway. In addition, two panel discussions will be featured: a transportation writers' roundtable and a review of passenger-rail connectivity.

Presentations and discussions will address how Texas and adjacent states are laying the groundwork for future passenger-rail corridors, both for high speed and conventional modes, and how freight rail traffic is getting stronger in sectors such as crude oil and intermodal, TRA officials said in a press release.

"We are pleased to announce that the Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association will be holding their annual meeting [on Jan. 23] in conjunction with the Southwestern Rail Conference," said TRA President Peter LeCody.