Secure Rail 2019 seeks presenters for expanded agenda

The Secure Rail Conference Advisory Committee met earlier this week to discuss an expanded agenda for the 2019 conference, which will be held May 1-2 in Orlando, Florida.

Entering its fifth year, the annual event for rail security professionals will be expanded to include a greater emphasis on the topics of risk, legal issues, future trends and regulatory updates, conference planners said in a prepared statement.

Presented by Progressive Railroading, Secure Rail's mission is to bridge the gap between the future of rail technology and rail security.

The conference advisory committee's discussion centered on key trends, such as the impact of autonomous technologies on railroads; collaboration between local and federal agencies in support of emergency response initiatives; and the increasingly blurred line between cyber and physical security.

The emerging topics of process configuration management and the role staffing plays in maintaining security throughout a rail organization also were discussed.

Although several sessions have been placed on the conference's 2019 agenda, conference planners are accepting presentation proposals through Dec. 28. Interested parties can review and complete the online form to submit their ideas.

Conference organizers are seeking presenters with expertise in rail security emergency preparedness, hazardous materials transportation, positive train control, information technology, signaling and communications, border control, bridges and tunnels management, and capital infrastructure programs.

Presenters should provide a rail security perspective on their chosen topics.