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Railadvo » FRA's Karen Rae to address Texas Rail Conference in Dallas Jan. 29
FRA's Karen Rae to address Texas Rail Conference in Dallas Jan. 29

Deputy Federal Railroad Administrator Karen Rae will be the featured speaker Jan. 29 when Texas Rail Advocates (TRA) holds its 6th Annual Southwestern Rail Conference at the Magnolia Hotel in Dallas.   www,SWRailConf.org

Ms. Rae plays a leading role in the development of the Obama Adminstration’s historic program to create a national high-speed and intercity passenger rail system.  Last spring, President Obama announced $8 billion for the program as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  The awards, which cover new corridor projects as well as smaller projects and planning, will be announced this winter. 

Joining Deputy Director Rae at the conference will be the executive directors from the Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas departments of transportation, the Honorable Ruth Jones McClendon, who serves on the Texas House Transportation Committee; John Horsley, executive director of the American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO); and executives from Union Pacific Corp. and BNSF Railway. Former Amtrak Chair John Robert Smith, who is now CEO of Reconnecting America, will discuss integrating transportation systems and the communities they serve.

Although Texas was not one of the applicants for first-round ARRA passenger rail funding, it recently took a giant step toward developing its own passenger-rail program. TxDOT has established a dedicated Rail Division, hired a former railroader as director and retained a distinguished consultant to develop a statewide passenger rail plan. The new director, Bill Glavin, and the consultant, Dr. C. Michael Walton of the University of Texas at Austin, will be appearing at the conference.

The two designated higher-speed passenger rail corridors in Texas are the South Central (which combines Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas sections) and the Gulf Coast corridor, which stretches from Houston to New Orleans. Both have federal designation for faster passenger and freight rail development, but received little attention until passage of the ARRA.

 Other presenters at the conference include John Helsley from the Texas Alliance of Rail Districts, who will show how rural and urban rail districts have had a positive economic impact in growing jobs and businesses in Texas.

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About the Sixth Annual Southwestern Rail Conference

It is the only all-rail conference held each year in Texas, hosted by Texas Rail Advocates, a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit membership organization that advocates development of passenger and freight rail service in the state and the Southwest. 

 

Posted 01-16-2010 12:38 PM by Peter LeCody
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Comments

Astntom wrote re: FRA's Karen Rae to address Texas Rail Conference in Dallas Jan. 29
on 01-22-2010 1:50 PM

It's amazing the circles into which Karen Rae is leapfrogging from her not-so-glorious days as head of Austin's Capital Metro.  

In Austin she tried unsuccessfully to clog our streets with light rail, while issuing a report ("The Milestone 2" Study) which contained outright lies and deceptions as to the values of modes of transit other than light rail.  

The South Congress Business Association caught her in another "prevarication" when she told them the light rail, in taking out two lanes of traffic, would not reduce the 4 lanes already in existence.  What they had to coax out of her is that they would lose all the on-street parking they needed for their customers.  

Even in this current venture into "high speed" rail, where is the input as to maglev?  Where is the comparison between rail operations and maintenance and what it costs to maintain a beam?  And a vehicle with no moving parts (except the doors)?  

Where is anyone looking into safety, and into the effects of RR corridors partitioning farms and ranches compared to maglev's virtually silent and elevated posture which would allow for uninterrupted farming and grazing?  

The whole thing is DISINGENUOUS, and I find that a perfect environment, given what I've learned about Karen Rae.

KDecker wrote re: FRA's Karen Rae to address Texas Rail Conference in Dallas Jan. 29
on 01-26-2010 11:29 AM

This is not meant to be a personal attack on Karen Rae.  She is friendly and energetic in a goofy but affable way. Sad to say though, she is NOT the best person to lead such a monumental effort for the Administration. Ms. Rae is not an engineer, planner, railroad operations expert or an attorney yet she is charged to lead such a highly complex (both policy and technical skills) effort.  Now that doesn't make sense!  Ms. Rae is an excellent glad hander and that she be her role.  Secretary LaHood, hire a qualified professional to lead the high speed rail effort before the Administration looses all credibility!

Larry Kaufman wrote re: FRA's Karen Rae to address Texas Rail Conference in Dallas Jan. 29
on 01-26-2010 1:11 PM

I don't know Karen Rae, but if she is as unqualified as at least two participants say, her appointment simply demonstrates that transportation simply is of no real importance to the Administration (and, in fairness, obviously wasn't to the last several administrations).  Transportation is a "jobs" agency and the lack of a national transportation policy proves it.  Hey, folks, it's only money.

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