Railway Track & Structures - October 2007 - (Page 16)

NRCChairman’s Column 2008 NRC Conference coming soon Jon M. McGrath Chairman The National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association, Inc. 500 New Jersey Ave., N. W. Suite 400 Washington D. C. 20009 Tel: 202-715-2920 Fax: 202-318-0867 www.nrcma.org info@nrcma.org Each year I look forward to the NRC Conference in January. This year is no exception, and I’ll happily admit that this year my excitement is heightened as this will be my second and final conference as chairman of the NRC. The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Spa will host the event in Palm Springs, Calif., from the opening exhibits at 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 3, through the closing golf tournament on Sunday afternoon, January 6. As a railroad contractor, I want to know what is new and innovative in the railroad industry. This is an excellent venue to learn something that will help your firm be more efficient, make a new business contact, discover new rail projects on the horizon, and simply find out what is going on in the railroad industry and how it can benefit you and your company. It appears that suppliers and con- tractors across the country are continuing to enjoy a very robust industry. The NRC Annual Conference has continued to be a venue where railroads roll out their annual plans for the coming year, and we once again have an exciting lineup of seminars and speakers planned. Don’t miss your chance to find out firsthand what trends from 2007 will continue into 2008 and what will change. Our exhibition showcase will give companies a chance to show the best of the railroad supply industry. The indoor industry trade show is something not to miss. We’re planning on more than 45 exhibitors and a packed exhibit hall. As always, every minute that the exhibit hall is open will include an open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres, while the rest of the conference is entirely shut down to create a focus on the exhibitors and their products and services. Something new this year is the opportunity to attend a Track Guy Project Management Seminar, which will be held Monday, January 7, from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., after the NRC Conference is over. To make reservations for the course, please contact John Zuspan at 724-873-7333 or zuspan@trackguy.com. The NRC Conference speaker lineup will feature our traditional core of high-level railroad engineers and purchasing managers. Most of the Class 1s, and many of the biggest shortline and regional railroads will be on the agenda. In addition, signal contracting and transit spending on rail contractors will be addressed. As always, the speakers will give a detailed overview of their spending plans for 2008 and provide insight on their planned relationships with contractors and suppliers. The Conference will also feature some new and innovative sessions, including a feature on how railroad contractors have helped Watco Companies respond to the devastating flooding in Kansas and Oklahoma that led to approximately 15 miles of the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad being underwater, and a session surveying the explosion of financial and private equity interest in the rail industry. And last, but not least, let’s not forget that we will be at one the country’s finest golf and spa resorts. I’m not a big golfer myself, but I’ve heard enough about the Pete Dye course on property and the dozens of other courses in Palm Springs to guarantee that there’s more worldclass golf in Coachella Valley than you could possibly have time for. And the spa at the Westin Mission Hills is almost as well known as the golf – it’s in a dedicated 14,000-square-foot building. I want to personally invite you to attend the 2008 NRC Conference. Come be a part of one of this country’s most innovative industries, at one of its most prestigious conferences. To sign up, go to the NRC Website at www.nrcma.org, call the NRC office at 202-715-2920, email Chuck Baker at cbaker@nrcma.org, or use the registration form printed in this magazine. Until next month, be safe. 16 Railway Track & Structures October 2007 www.rtands.com http://www.nrcma.org http://www.nrcma.org http://www.nrcma.org http://www.rtands.com

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Railway Track & Structures - October 2007 Contents On Track Industry Today Supplier News AREMA News NRC News TTCI R&D Crossties by the Billions Provide Essentials for Full Support Modern Tools Manage Risk M/W Challenges: Better Management of Thermal Forces in CWR TTCI Celebrates 25 Years as Facility, 10 as Part of AAR Products and Literature People Calendar Sales Representatives Website Directory Advertisers Index Professional Directory Classified Advertising Chicago Perspective

Railway Track & Structures - October 2007

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