The 2025 Midwest Rail Conference, “Railroads 200 Years – Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future,” took place August 12–14, 2025, in Notre Dame, Indiana. The event drew well over one hundred participants and featured more than 25 distinguished industry speakers, highlighted by keynote addresses from James Derwinski, CEO of METRA, and Mabby Amouie, AVP of Enterprise Data & Analytics for Norfolk Southern. Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, attendees enjoyed a full program that included the Student Scholarship Fundraiser Golf Outing, Opening Reception, Educational Sessions, Closing Reception, and field visits. We are grateful to our planning committee, speakers, sponsors, and attendees for making this year’s conference a resounding success. Special thanks to Norfolk Southern Railroad for their extensive help with the field visits.
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Registration
-
Early:
$200 (through Monday, June 30, 2025) -
Regular:
$250 (through Thursday, July 31, 2025) -
Late:
$325 (begins Friday, August 1, 2025)
Keynote Speakers
James Derwinski
CEO
METRA
Mabby Amouie
AVP Enterprise Data and Analytics
Norfolk Southern
Schedule
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
- Student scholarship golf outing fundraiser (Blackthorn Golf Club)
- Starts at 8:30am, 18 holes plus cart and lunch, $80 per person
- NURail CoE Annual Meeting (McKenna Hall)
- Small group meetings (McKenna Hall)
- Opening reception (McKenna Hall)
- 6pm-8pm
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
- MRC Educational Sessions (Morris Inn/McKenna Hall)
- Opening Plenary – Hydrogen and Other Alternative
Fuels for Railroads - Plenary Panel– Applications of AI for Railways
- Breakout #1A - Automation of Railway Operations
- Breakout #1B - Grade-Crossing Technologies and
Safety
- Opening Plenary – Hydrogen and Other Alternative
-
- Breakout #2A – Midwest DOTs Panel Discussion
- Breakout #2B - Shortline Railroad Panel
Discussion - Breakout #3A - Innovative Approaches to Address
Trespassing on Railroads - Breakout #3B - Local Economic/Land Use Impacts of
Rail
- Closing reception
Thursday, August 14, 2025
- Field visits (7:30am - 1pm)
- Elkhart Yard and Shipper visits
- South Bend Grade Separations
- Airport Passenger Rail Station Relocation
MRC Sponsor Opportunities
Diamond - $1500+
- 2 free conference registrations (use sponsor's attendee registration)
- Company logo in program
- Company logo on website
- Full page ad in sponsor brochure
- Included in email blast to all registrants announcing sponsors who made it possible: company name with link to website and 50-word description of company
Platinum - $1000 - $1499
- 1 free conference registration (use sponsor's attendee registration)
- Company logo in program
- Company logo on website
- 1/2- page ad in sponsor brochure
- Included in email blast to all registrants announcing sponsors who made it possible: company name with link to website and 50-word description of company
Gold - $500 - $999
- Quarter page ad in sponsor brochure
- Company name and contact information listed in attendee listing
- Included in email blast to all registrants announcing sponsors who made it possible: company name with link to website
Silver $250-$499
- Company name/logo listed in sponsor brochure
- Company name and contact information listed in attendee listing
- Included in email blast to all registrants announcing sponsors who made it possible: company name
2025 Sponsors
Diamond Level Sponsors
Platinum Level Sponsor
Gold Level Sponsors
Silver Level Sponsors
Suggested Hotels and Parking Options
Hotels
Notes
- If you booked a room at the previously listed hotels (Hilton Vacation Club Varsity Club South Bend, Hyatt Place South Bend – Mishawaka or Home2 Suites By Hilton Mishawaka South Bend) and would like to be on the shuttle, please contact Amanda Codere at alkerttu@mtu.edu
- No room blocks have been set up for this conference
Parking
Attendees wishing to utilize free parking should park in the Bookstore Lot, otherwise they can park at the Morris Inn with a daily fee of $18 per vehicle.
Contact
Pasi Lautala, PE
- Professor, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
- Director, Rail Transportation Program, Michigan Tech Transportation Institute
- ptlautal@mtu.edu
- 906-487-3547
- Dillman 318
Amanda Codere
- Staff, Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering
