Philadelphia Welcoming World's High-Speed Rail Experts
About 1,000 people will attend the 8th World Congress on High Speed Rail, including transport ministers and rail system chiefs from the United States, Japan, Russia, China, Spain, Poland, and other countries.
Pretty much every issue confronting U.S. transportation officials who are planning, building, or contemplating high-speed rail will be explored during the 8th World Congress on High Speed Rail, which takes place July 10-13 in Philadelphia. About 1,000 people from all over the world are expected to attend, including transport ministers and rail system chiefs from the United States, Japan, Russia, China, Spain, Poland, Turkey, and other countries.
It is the world's largest gathering about high-speed rail, according to UIC, an international trade association of railways that is presenting the event with the American Public Transportation Association, along with the support of the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, the Association of American Railroads, and VIA Rail Canada.
Sessions on the program will feature presenters from rail systems all over the world discussing seismic protection and earthquake countermeasures, noise and vibration, tunnel and bridge designs, fleet maintenance, training and human factors, financing, signaling systems, and track design and maintenance, among other topics.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is scheduled to speak during the July 11 opening session, and Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo is scheduled to speak during a dinner July 12 and also participate in a panel discussion July 13 about high-speed rail's role in the future transport market.