Norfolk Southern hosts RailCAST summit

Norfolk Southern Railway earlier this month hosted a two-day meeting of the Rail Coalition of Advanced Safety Technology (RailCAST) at its training facility in McDonough, Georgia.

The two-day event brought together representatives from U.S. and Canadian Class Is, federal regulatory agencies and labor leaders, NS officials said in a press release.

The meeting’s first day featured a tour of the training center and digital train-inspection portal in Jackson, Georgia. The second day included in-depth sharing of experiences and discussions on data-driven condition-based maintenance for rail cars, wheel temperature and brake health, Canadian inspection portals, and process controls, NS officials said.

An initiative launched in collaboration with the Associate of American Railroads, RailCAST serves as a forum for industry experts to explore advancements in wayside-signal technology. The coalition focuses on enhancing safety inspections and supporting the growth of domestic and international freight business.

The gathering brought together “critical stakeholders who are united by a shared dedication to safety,” said NS Chief Mechanical Officer Jamie Williams. Previously, technology advanced at the individual rail carrier based on the need of a particular organization.

RailCAST’s approach leverages the knowledge of industry experts to drive alignment and speed to market with new technology.