Happening Now
22nd Annual Southwestern Rail Conference
Date
Monday, May 18, 2026 Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Location
Hurst Conference Center 1615 Campus Drive Hurst TX
The 22nd Annual Southwestern Rail Conference will be held May 18-19 at the Hurst Texas Conference Center
Rail Passengers Association members can register for the 2-day event at https://www.texasrailadvocates.org/events/2026-southwestern-rail-conference/ Until April 10th, RPA members can register for the conference at a rate of $169.00 if you use the Registration Code "Rail Advocate". Regular early registration price is $299.00.
Speakers include FRA Administrator David Fink, Surface Transportation Board member Karen Hedlund, TxDOT Rail Division Director Don Franks, TxDOT Public Transportation Division Director Eric Gleason, noted rail analyst Tony Hatch
Presentations on Amtrak's successful Mardi Gras train, DART's new Silver Line to DFW International Airport, a Texas Legislative Rail Caucus being formed, a session on effective rail advocacy in Texas and more.
Attendees will also be able to experience "Train Sim World", an online train simulation video from Dovetail Games, that allows users to operate locomotives, manage freight, and drive passenger trains in 3D environments
"The National Association of Railroad Passengers has done yeoman work over the years and in fact if it weren’t for NARP, I'd be surprised if Amtrak were still in possession of as a large a network as they have. So they've done good work, they're very good on the factual case."
Robert Gallamore, Director of Transportation Center at Northwestern University and former Federal Railroad Administration official, Director of Transportation Center at Northwestern University
November 17, 2005, on The Leonard Lopate Show (with guest host Chris Bannon), WNYC New York.