RailTrends conference offers discount on registration fee

Progressive Railroading is offering a discounted registration fee for this year's RailTrends^® conference, which will be held Nov. 17-18 at the W Hotel in New York City.

Attendees who register before Sept. 16 will pay $1,425; after that date, the registration fee will increase to $1,725.

The conference will feature updates from rail industry associations — including the Association of American Railroads, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and the Intermodal Association of North America — as well as from industry regulators Daniel Elliott, chairman of the Surface Transportation Board, and Sarah Feinberg, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration.

New presenters at this year's conference will include John Barrett, general manager of supply chain at Chevron Chemical; Beth Whited, vice president and general manager-chemicals at Union Pacific Railroad; and Rod Case, partner at Oliver Wyman.

As in prior years, the meat of the conference lineup will be presentations by railroad executives. The Class Is will be well represented this year, with speakers attending from UP, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern Railway and CN.

Speakers representing the short-line and regional realm will include Watco Cos. LLC Chief Executive Officer Rick Webb; Conrail President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Batory; Florida East Coast Railway President and CEO Jim Hertwig; and Aurizon CEO Lance Hockridge.

To learn more about this year's conference, read columnist Tony Hatch's preview and check out the agenda on RailTrends website.