Webinar & Online Conference Reads

Interesting free and low cost online rail and transport webinars and conferences from around the world. Updated 12 November 2024.

• The High Speed Rail Alliance is hosting a free webinar on Conversation with a [US] High-Speed Rail Champion. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) introduced the American High-Speed Rail Act, which would invest $205 billion federal dollars into high-speed rail. He will speak about how this proposal can connect communities while reducing emissions throughout the country. This event will take place on Tuesday 12 November 2024, 4-5pm GMT (11am-12pm EDT). [New]

• The High Speed Rail Alliance is hosting a free webinar on Amtrak Accelerates: A Conversation with ‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford. Amtrak’s Senior Vice President for High-Speed Rail Development Programs, Byford will talk about Amtrak’s plans and the best possibilities for faster, more frequent American train service. Namely, working with Texas Central on the proposed high-speed line linking Dallas and Houston, and work underway to improve Acela service between Washington, DC and Boston. This event will take place on Friday 15 November 2024, 4-5pm GMT (11am-12pm EDT). [New]

Do double check all times when registering, as they are sometimes hosted in different countries and time zones, what with different, chaotic Daylight Savings regimes, or even better, no Daylight Savings at all.

North American In Person Events

• The Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) International Convention took place 26-30 August 2024 in Toronto, Canada. [LR is preparing an article on the State of the Art Signalling, and future trends.]

European & Global Conferences

• The Transit Mapping Symposium hosted its three day Symposium Wayfinding, the art of influencing flows at New York University in Abu Dhabi from 28 February to 1 March 2024. Some videos of the presentations have been featured in LR’s Monday/Friday Reads.

On Demand Events

• Hybrid Air Vehicles (ITDP) produced a webinar on How hybrid airship could transform maritime defence operations – A closer look at Airlander. Capt Ben Cohen, US Marines Corps and Gary Waterfall, HAV advisor and former RAF Air Vice Marshal, discussed the role hybrid aircraft, like Airlander, can play in maritime operations such as logistics and communications in contested environments.

• The High Speed Rail Alliance is hosting a webinar Crossrail Chicago: The Foundation for a Modern Travel Network. This proposal aims to connect and upgrade existing Metra lines to create an electrified, passenger-dedicated mainline through the city. This link would provide intercity train service to key locations in downtown, as well as O’Hare International Airport. CrossRail Chicago would span the metro area with high-capacity, passenger-focused rail lines, and form the core of a Midwest high-speed rail network.

• The Eno Center for Transportation has recorded its webinar Trains, Buses, People: An Opinionated Atlas of US and Canadian Transit. Christof Spieler, Senior Lecturer, Rice University recently released the second edition of his wildly popular book Trains, Buses, People, which now covers eight Canadian cities & two new US cities. In this webinar he discusses the evolving conversation around transit in the past three years since the book originally published, plus updates around fare policies, wayfinding, transit governance structures, customer experience, and how to create inclusive transit systems that work for all riders.

• The Global Railway Review presents a free webinar on A strategic approach to deliver rail decarbonisation, featuring speakers from the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education (BCRRE) and the Railway Industry Association (RIA).

• The Victoria Society presents an illustrated virtual lecture led by author and historian Dr Steven Brindle – who will present an in-depth exploration of Queen Victoria’s use of the railways. After taking her first railway journey in June 1842, Steven will discuss how Queen Victoria got to and from Windsor, Osborne and Balmoral, some of the special stations, waiting rooms and trains that were built for her, and her longer continental rail journeys. Whilst the live lecture has passed, you can still view the recording for £5.

Found an event you’d like to share? Email us at [email protected].

LR will be moderating the comments, and deleting marketing event spam, so that this list does not get inundated with already well publicised events.