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Railway Supply Institute (RSI) officials recently met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to make the organization’s case that railroads and their suppliers should remain free of new regulations that prevent development of needed infrastructure and technologies.

The RSI contingent was led by New York Air Brake Corp.’s Marshall Beck, RSI’s chairman; TrinityRail’s Bob Hulick; and Tangent Rail’s Robert Matthews, according to a statement issued yesterday.

The rail capacity expansion “envisioned” by the Obama Administration depends on new technologies such as positive train control, safety programs such as the Section 130 highway/rail grade crossing program and a “healthy and robust” supply industry, Beck told LaHood. Beck also noted that the railroad industry invests more of its revenue in new assets than any other industry.

“We’re here to support every business that does business with America’s railroads,” Beck said. “The RSI is working with the government to create a rail industry that is efficient, safe and ready to serve America’s transportation needs for the next century.”

LaHood asked RSI to continue supporting the development and deployment of high-speed rail, and expressed interest in domestic passenger car manufacturing capacity and alternative fuels for locomotives.