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From Nov. 16-19, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) plan to hold their first-ever joint safety conference at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in St. Louis.

The "Rail Industry Safety Conference" combines the AAR's Annual Safety Conference and ASLRRA's Operating and Maintenance Session.

The conference will offer presentations on training, grade crossing and fire safety, security, remote-control locomotives and roadway worker protection, and a tour of the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis. The event also will include exhibitors displaying products associated with communications and signals, computer software, engineering and design, insurance, remote-control technology, safety and vegetation control.

"By combining [with the AAR], we were able to develop a more comprehensive program," says ASLRRA President Richard Timmons. "The conference will be useful for railroads large and small."

Scheduled conference speakers include Jo Strang, Federal Railroad Administration deputy associate administrator for research and development; Henry Posner III, Railroad Development Corp. chairman; and Gerri Hall, Operation Lifesaver Inc. president.

So far, about 150 people have signed up for the event, which is "good for a first-time conference," says Timmons. "The AAR's conference hadn't been doing so well the past few years."

The ASLRRA and AAR plan to hold the annual conference at least the next two to three years to determine if the event "catches fire," says Timmons.

For more information, visit the AAR's or ASLRRA's Web sites at www.aar.org and www.aslrra.org, or call Jenny McKinney of ASLRRA at 202-585-3449.

— Jeff Stagl