The 19th Annual
Southwestern Rail Conference

NEW DATES
Mon & Tues
- April 3-4, 2023
NEW LARGER
CAPACITY VENUE
Hurst Conference Center
Hurst, Texas
In the heart of the
Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Hosted by Texas Rail Advocates
FULL CONFERENCE
Monday & Tuesday
Early Bird $329
Regular $429
MONDAY ONLY
Presentations & Dinner
Early Bird $149
Regular $199
TUESDAY ONLY
Presentations & Luncheon
Early Bird $249
Regular $299
REGISTER NOW TO RESERVE
YOUR EARLY BIRD PLACE
Click Here To Register
Early Bird ends March 6th, 2023

Event Sponsors

These sponsors are making the 2023 Southwestern Rail Conference possible:

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Your sponsorship helps to promote freight and passenger rail in Texas and the Southwest as we educate and inform our elected / appointed leaders and the public on the economic benefits of rail.

Texas Rail Advocates' outreach to the public and private sector helps to advance the development of rail service to its full potential as a carrier of freight and passengers. Sponsorship gives you coverage before, during and the full year following the conference.

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

Sponsor Registration

The Premier All-Rail Conference brings together the public and private sector to discuss important freight and passenger rail topics from experts in their field. We've expanded into two days of presentations and speakers to bring you more content from more rail industry leaders!

Schedule

Monday, April 3
2:00pm - 5:00pm
(NEW) Presentations
5:00pm - 7:00pm
Networking Happy Hour
7:00pm
Dinner and Presentation
Tuesday, April 4
8:30am - 4:30pm
Panels and Presentations

Presenters and Panels

Karen Hedlund
Vice Chair - Surface Transportation Board
The Surface Transportation Board is charged with regulation of railroads and other modes of surface transportation.
Congressman Colin Allred
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
The infrastructure bill passed by Congress is hailed by Rep. Allred as a "once in a generation investment in our roads, bridges, mass transit, broadband and clean energy technology"
Jeff Davis
Rail Division Director - Texas Department of Transportation
The Rail Division implements rail-related policies, performs infrastructure and operational analysis and rail project planning, monitors potential rail line abandonments, oversees rail-highway safety and rail inspections, and manages the South Orient Railroad.
Knox Ross
Chairman - Southern Rail Commission
The SRC engages and informs public and private rail interests to support and influence Southeast rail initiatives.
Richard Andreski
Trinity Metro President & CEO
Formerly Chief executive in charge of public transportation for the State of Connecticut.
Stan Meador
Vice President - Texas Pacifico Railroad
Operator of the South Orient Rail line, a state-owned facility from Presidio on the Mexican border to San Angelo junction.
Tyson Moeller
General Director Network Planning - Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific operations cover 23 states in the western two-thirds of the United States.
Jim Mathews
President/CEO - Rail Passengers Association
The Rail Passengers Association advocates on behalf of America's rail passengers for improved, expanded, and safer train service.
Mackenna Wehmeyer
M.H. Wehmeyer Consulting LLC
Represents Texas Rail Advocates in Austin as we work to educate and inform the pubic and private sector on the benefits of freight and passenger rail.
Allan Rutter
Freight Transportation Practice Leader - Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Study of Very Long Trains. Former Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration.
Jeff Werner
Research Scientist - Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Countering Rail Tresspassing
INVITED: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Texas House Transportation, Texas Senate Transportation, BNSF Railway, Canadian Pacific, U.S. Congressman Troy Nehls (Chairman U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure SubCommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials).
ADDITIONAL PRESENTERS AND PANELS TO BE POSTED IN THE NEAR FUTURE
Previous conferences sold out weeks in advance so take advantage of the Early Bird registration and guarantee your place at the Southwestern Rail Conference.
Not familiar with this key rail conference? See what attendees experienced at the 2022 rail event!

If you haven't done so... sign up for the complementary Texas Rail Advocates e-newsletter to get updates on the Southwestern Rail Conference and stay up to date with freight and passenger rail news. Click here to sign up.

Venue & Hotel Information

The Hilton Garden Inn Dallas
1615 Campus Drive
Hurst, Texas 76054
817-281-2800

Our lead hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn, Hurst, Texas, which is directly attached to the Hurst Conference Center. A preferred rate of $114.00 through our reserved room block is available. Reservations for this special rate must be made by March 23, 2022 and may be withdrawn sooner when capacity is reached.

  • Sunday April 2
  • Monday April 3
  • Tuesday April 4

Use this direct booking link to reserve your room while space is available:
Click Here To Book Now

Located in the center of the DFW Metroplex, the City of Hurst offers first-class shopping, popular restaurants and new hotel accommodations just minutes from the Hurst Conference Center.

Nearby Hotels

The Hilton Garden Inn Dallas
(Connected directly to The Hurst Conference Center)
1615 Campus Drive
Hurst, Texas 76054
817-281-2800
The Hampton Inn & Suites
1600 Hurst Town Center Drive
Hurst. Texas 76054
817-503-7777
The Hyatt Place
1601 Hurst Town Center Drive
Hurst, Texas 76054
817-577-3003
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites
820 Thousand Oaks Drive
Hurst, Texas 76054
817-427-1818

Nearby Attractions

Restaurants
- Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy
- BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse
- Bronco's Sports Bar & Grill
- Catfish & Co.
- Chili's
- Dairy Queen
- Del Taco
- Dunkin' Donuts
- Golden Chick
- In & Out Burger
- Italiannis Restaurant
- Carino's Italian
- Logan's Roadhouse
- McAlister's Deli
- McDonalds
- Olive Garden
- Outback Steak House
- Potbelley
- Pei Wei
- Pulido's Mexican Restaurant
- Quick Trip Store
- RaceTrac
- Red Hot & Blue
- Red Lobster
- Red Robin
- Slim Chickens
- Sonic
- Starbucks
- Subway
Airports
- DFW International Airport (10 mi)
- Dallas Love Field (22.5 mi)
Attractions
- Alley cats Entertainment (2 mi)
- Globe Life Park in Arlington (13 mi)
- AT&T Stadium (13 mi)
- Chisholm Park & Aquatics Center (3mi)
- Grapevine Mills Mall (12 mi
- Hurricane Harbor (16 mi)
- IFly Indoor Skydiving (2mi)
- Iron Horse Golf Course (5 mi)
- Mountasia (1.2 mi)
- North East Mall (.5 mi)
- NRH20 (1 mi
- Nytex Sport Center (1.5mi))
- Rave Cinemas at North East Mall (.5mi)
- Six Flags (15 mi)
- Texas Motor Speedway (18 mi)
- Texas Star Golf Course (5.7 mi)
- Downtown Fort Worth (12 mi)
- Fort Worth Stockyards (11 mi)
- Downtown Dallas (25 mi)

Event Photos

Day 1
Day 2

Presentations & Panels