Greater Northwest Passenger Rail Summit To Help Launch Second Rail Revolution Across Region

The historic Northern Hotel in downtown Billings, Montana, will serve as the backdrop for the first Greater Northwest Passenger Rail Summit on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 22-23. Passenger rail advocacy organizations from across the Northwest will join federal, state, local, and tribal officials, representatives of host railroads, and rail infrastructure experts to educate, innovate and coordinate for the restoration, expansion, and enhancement of passenger rail service.

The passage in late 2021 of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has created the first opportunity in decades to expand and improve passenger rail access, and no region of the country is in more need of that expansion and improvement than the Greater Northwest.

Now is the time for rail advocates and policymakers from across the region to start coordinating to ensure the “second rail revolution” doesn’t pass us by.

“This summit represents the inaugural effort to bring passenger rail advocates and enthusiasts from across the Greater Northwest together in one place to restore and expand our passenger rail network across the region,” said David Strohmaier, chairman of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, the summit host. “It is only through regional collaboration and coordination with the host railroads and policymakers that we will achieve our goal of expanding and improving passenger rail service both here in Montana and throughout the region. And the presence at this summit of senior officials from the Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, other agencies, and host railroads shows that our efforts and voices are being taken very seriously.”

The summit will open Monday with a speech by FRA Administrator Amit Bose and close Tuesday night with a gala dinner at the historic Billings Depot, where Virginia Rail Policy Institute President, Co-Chair of Virginians for High-Speed Rail, and newly elected Rail Passengers Association Board Chair Meredith Richards will deliver the keynote address. The summit agenda features moderated panel discussions where federal, local, state, and tribal officials, host railroad representatives, engineering experts, and passenger rail advocates will discuss everything from the economic and social benefits to communities and tribal nations to the environmental benefits of building a bigger, better passenger rail network for our region and country.

To view a complete schedule and learn more about the summit, visit the website at http://www.gnwprs.org, or contact BSPRA Vice Chairman Jason Stuart at jstuart@bigskyrail.org or 406-852-4765. BSPRA Chairman Dave Strohmaier is also available for interviews at dstrohmaier@bigskyrail.org or 406-852-4765.