Sunday, April 7

Host Information Desk

Moderators/Speakers & AV Preview Room

Registration Desk

TCRP Information Desk

TRB Information Desk

APTA Streetcar Subcommittee Meeting

TRB Light Rail Main Committee Mid-Year Meeting

Welcome Reception and Products & Services Showcase

Enjoy the hospitality of our opening reception. Meet old and new friends and network with your transit industry peers while examining the displays in the showcase. We are sure you’ll enjoy walking the aisles and speaking with representatives of these companies to find out more about how they can help solve your particular problems or provide just what you need. Stop by and learn what new technologies are on the horizon while enjoying the informal, relaxed ambiance of the opening reception – the official conference kickoff.

  

Monday, April 8

Continental Breakfast

Host Information Desk

Moderators/Speakers & AV Preview Room

Registration Desk

TCRP Information Desk

TRB Information Desk

OPENING GENERAL SESSION

This is where it all starts for the 14th National Light Rail & Streetcar Conference. Join us to hear and discuss the many issues and perspectives on the ever-growing light rail and streetcar industry in the United States and around the world. At this session, we will hear from the Executive Director of NJ Transit. We are also pleased to hear from our industry leaders at APTA and TRB, and to learn the status of LRT and Streetcar projects in North America.

 

• Thomas B. Furmaniak, P.E., LTK Engineering Services, Atlanta, GA

• Julie D'Orazio, P.E., WSP USA, New York, NY

• Kevin S. Corbett, President & CEO, New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT), Newark, NJ
• Paul P. Skoutelas, President and CEO, American Public Transportation Association, Washington, DC
• Neil J. Pedersen, Executive Director, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC

• Theodore Rosenbaum, Senior Consultant, DB E.C.O. North America Inc.

Land Use and Place: How They Come Together

Transportation infrastructure shapes our built environment, affecting land uses and land values. This can be planned, or not. Light rail and streetcars are both blamed and lauded for this. What does research show about the relationship between LRT and streetcars and land use? What are the most effective tools in facilitating changes, or in maintaining the status quo? How can land use planning support the goals of a rail transit project? Are there other factors that can change the equation? In this session we will look at the Hudson Bergen line from two different perspectives; hear some suggestions on methodologies for measuring the economic and land use benefits of light rail; and finally, take a trip to Basel in Switzerland and consider the challenges of running a tram system across two international borders.

• Megan Massey, PP/AICP, New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT), Newark, NJ

• Monica J. Meade, AICP, ENV SP, Senior Project Planner, RK&K, Baltimore, MD

• Jon A. Carnegie, AICP/PP, Executive Director, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

• Devajyoti Deka, Ph.D., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ

• Lyndon Henry, M.S., Online Columnist, RAILWAY AGE, Austin, TX
• Olivia Dobbs Schneider, Consultant & Researcher, Light Rail Now!, Rochester, NY

• Perceval Gailliard, Tramway Specialist, Service Technique des Remontées Mécaniques et des Transports Guidés (STRMTG), Saint Martin d'Heres, France
• Sebastien Lopez, Director- Urbain Transport Expert, ISY Global, Schiltigheim, France

Transformational Technologies: The Coming Norms?

This session presents a range of technological developments applied to LRT and Streetcar systems around the world, with demonstrable benefits to operation and safety. The first presentation provides an update of the latest advances and applications in off-wire technology. The second presentation is focused on rail control and traction power systems. It examines the factors contributing to the selection of control systems and operating modes for a number of LRTs around the globe. The session will proceed with a review of recent progress in tramway safety standards and new technologies (such as Driver Assist). The last presentation will analyze the adoption, benefits, and lessons learned from the application of on-board energy storage and ground power supply wire-free technologies.

• Amer Shalaby, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON

• John D. Swanson, C.Eng., Principal Consultant, SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit Inc., Vista, CA

• Yousef Kimiagar, P.Eng., PMP, FIRSE, VP Advanced Technologies & US Rail Systems Lead, Hatch, Mississauga, ON

• John C. Smatlak, Principal Consultant, Atkins, Los Angeles, CA

• Jim Varney, MBA, Senior Director, Major Capture, NY/NJ, Parsons Corporation, New York, NY

Improving Operations: More, Better, Faster...

Where streetcars and light rail vehicles share city streets with car traffic, congestion is a fact of life for transit agencies. Some cities are considering extensions into more congested areas; others have suffered through years of inefficient operations already. This session will explore some of the aspects of street and transit network design cities take into consideration as they plan extensions, analyze a wealth of data from a pilot project, or adjust their operating patterns to ease strain on the system. A broader perspective will also be offered on the potential results of these decisions, based on a wide survey of light rail operations in North America.

• Theodore Rosenbaum, Senior Consultant, DB E.C.O. North America Inc.

• Haley Peckett, AICP, Project Mamager, District Department of Transportation/Mass Transit Admin., Washington, DC

• David Kuperman, MS, RPP, City of Toronto, Toronto, ON

• Theodore Rosenbaum, Senior Consultant, DB E.C.O. North America Inc.
• Eric Miller, AICP, Hatch, Denver, CO

• Colin Keller Foley, Senior Associate, Transport Strategy Centre, Transport Strategy Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

Rolling Stock: Wheels of Change

Starting with a synopsis of North American LRV and streetcar procurements over the last three years, this session provides an update of the latest advances and applications in off-wire technology, discusses different strategies and lessons learned in overhauling LRVs, presents the latest advancements in 100% low floor vehicle technology applications, and concludes with a presentation that provides an overview of the operational and infrastructure factors that influence vehicle design on a legacy light rail system, how some will change, and the potential vehicle solution that will result.

• Steven C. Apanian, P.E., Vice President, North Central Region, Hatch, Minneapolis, MN

• Steven C. Apanian, P.E., Vice President, North Central Region, Hatch, Minneapolis, MN
• Thomas B. Furmaniak, P.E., LTK Engineering Services, Atlanta, GA

• Murphy Madison, Project Services Manager, SNC Lavalin Rail & Transit Inc., Washington, DC
• Brian Freerks, LRV Project Manager, Purple Line Transit Partners, Riverdale, MD

• Marcin N. Taraszkiewicz, Rail and Transit Vehicle Technology Lead, HDR, Baltimore, MD

• Anbo Wang, Ph.D., R&D Engineer, CRRC MA Corporation, Quincy, MA

• Christopher Pacher, Senior Vice President, Northeast US, Hatch, Boston, MA
• Nicole Mason, Technical Project Manager, Vehicle Engineering, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Newton, MA

GENERAL LUNCHEON w/ Featured Speaker

Andy Byford, President of New York City Transit, will address the conference. Andy is one of the most experienced transit executives in the world. He started in transit in the U.K. working in station management for London Underground. He then led a number of commuter rail positions in the U.K. leading to a Chief Operating Officer role in RailCorp in Sydney, Australia. Andy then became CEO of Toronto Transit Commission before moving to New York City Transit in 2018. Andy has won awards for his clear, frank communication skills and has a reputation for successfully tackling challenging issues in transit.

• Prof. Graham Currie, Ph.D., Director of Public Transport, Public Transport Research Group, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

• Andy Byford, AMTRAK, Washington, DC

Operations: Fine-Tuning the Details

The importance of applying lessons learned in operating light rail or streetcar systems as we modify and upgrade them and build new ones cannot be overstated. Evolving ridership patterns; demands for better, faster, more reliable service; safely interacting with urban street traffic, pedestrians and bikes; new technologies; controlling or lowering capital and operating costs; and new ways of doing business are some of the factors that influence our planning moving forward. This session provides several examples of how such experience is being applied to light rail and streetcar systems domestically and in Europe and Australia.

• Timothy R. Borchers, Principal Project Manager Rail Transit, H. W. Lochner, Inc., Tampa, FL

• Scott A. Elaurant, Ph.D., CP.Eng., Principal, Six Cats Consulting Pty Ltd., Adelaide, SA, Australia

• Perceval Gailliard, Tramway Specialist, Service Technique des Remontées Mécaniques et des Transports Guidés (STRMTG), Saint Martin d'Heres, France

• Stephen Luke, MICE C.Eng. B.Eng MSc, LRT Practice Leader (Europe), Mott MacDonald, Altrincham, United Kingdom

• John G. Allen, Ph.D., Independent Transportation Consultant, Chicago, IL

State of Good Repair: The Endless Cycle

The State of Good Repair (SOGR) in any asset condition-driven service is a never-ending process of maintenance, renewal, and replacement. This process is especially important in public transportation where the availability of these assets have a direct impact on the day-to-day activities of the public and serve as an economic engine for cities and local communities. Quality is key and the condition of transit rolling stock and infrastructure, and the process in which these assets are maintained is the foundation of SOGR. In a time of growing transportation choices, such as ride sharing and TNCs, maximizing asset availability, increasing system safety, and providing the riding public with an experience that both builds their satisfaction and loyalty, is more important than ever. The focus of this session is to present what methods and tools, from a hardware, software, and process management perspective, are being employed by the industry to maintain their state of good repair.

• Thomas O'Brien, Director of Business Development, KLD Labs, Inc., Hauppauge, NY

• Daniel Hecht, P.E., Operations Manager, Rail Vehicle Maintenance, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Jose, CA

• Brett Koenig, Industry Solutions Consultant, Enterprise Asset Management, Trapeze Group, Fort Collins, CO

• Scott Edwards, Senior Associate, Cross-Spectrum Acoustics Inc., Burlington, MA

• Kimberly A Woollard, Director, Main Repair Bus & Rail Maintenance & Engineering, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, Everett, MA
• Matthew Fuccillo, Principal Specialist - Rolling Stock, Mott MacDonald, Boston, MA

Infrastructure Challenges: Modernizing Old, Building New

Explore the challenges of renovating multiple legacy LRT stations, inspecting a tunnel while maintaining service, using a collaborative approach to design a new maintenance facility with community support, and learn new techniques for identifying and avoiding utility conflicts.

• Michael B. Eidlin, Vice President, KKCS , Seattle, WA

• Donald J. Leidy, HDR, Denver, CO

• Philip J. Meis, P.E., President, Utility Mapping Services, Inc., Clancy, MT

• David O. Nelson, Senior Consultant, Jacobs, Boston, MA

• Matthew Harlan, P.E., Bridge Inspection and Preservation Practice Lead, David Evans and Associates, Inc., Portland, OR
• Matthew Baccitich, Engineer III, TriMet - Ruby Junction, Gresham, OR

International Light Rail/Streetcar Perspectives: Lessons from Afar

This session highlights important lessons gleaned from international experiences with LRT and streetcar systems. Safety, planning, and implementation issues are a particular focus of discussion.

• Jeffrey Brown, Ph.D., Professor and Chairperson, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL

• Margarita Novales, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Group of Railways and Transportation Engineering School of Civil Engineering, University of A Coruna, A Coruna, Spain

• Klara Macsinka, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Szent István University, Göd, Hungary

• Wubin Chao, Master, PMP, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Research Associate, Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

• Ian Hopkins, Principal Advisor, Network Planning, Yarra Trams, Keolis Downer Australia, Melbourne, VC, Australia

Open Forum

The Open Forum is an opportunity to speak and listen to a variety of light rail and streetcar topics. Several speakers who were unable to fit into the daytime program have been invited to present, but there is still an opportunity for others to take the 'open mike.' 

 

• Thomas B. Furmaniak, P.E., LTK Engineering Services, Atlanta, GA

• Dominique Bertrand, Senior Advisor, CEREMA, Lyon, France

• Stanley G. Feinsod, Consultant, Principal, Stan Feinsod-Passenger Rail Consultant, San Francisco, CA

• Kevin Dwarka, Ph.D., Land Use and Economic Consultant, New York, NY

Tuesday, April 9

Continental Breakfast

Host Information Desk

Moderators/Speakers & AV Preview Room

Registration Desk

TCRP Information Desk

TRB Information Desk

Planning, Policy & Regulations: Getting the Stars to Align

Using examples from around the globe, this session explores the life cycle of thorough planning, development of well-founded policies, and unexpected outcomes and responses to unforeseen results.

• John F. McGee, Jr., Hatch, Ambler, PA

• Prof. Graham Currie, Ph.D., Director of Public Transport, Public Transport Research Group, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

• Stephen Luke, MICE C.Eng. B.Eng MSc, LRT Practice Leader (Europe), Mott MacDonald, Altrincham, United Kingdom

• Conor Adami, Senior Planner - Procedures & Systems Development, Strategy, Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto, ON

Safety: Mixing Trains, Traffic, Bikes & Pedestrians...Safely

This session addresses the safety approach of mixing light rail and streetcar system operations with vehicle traffic, bicycles, and pedestrians from the points of view of data collection and analysis, and evaluation and implementation of mitigation solutions to develop safer systems. Presentations include perspectives from practice, both in the United States and Europe.

• Pamela Fischhaber, Ph.D., P.E., WSO-CSS, Rail/Transit Safety Section Chief, Department of Regulatory Agencies, Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Denver, CO

• Michael J. Loehr, P.E., Global Technology Leader, Jacobs, Richmond, VA
• Vinod Eadavalli, PE, PTOE, Project Engineer, Jacobs, Dallas, TX

• Joseph Word, Director, Light Rail System Safety, New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT), Newark, NJ

• Christian Sautel, Senior Advisor, CEREMA, Paris, Lyon, France
• Dominique Bertrand, Senior Advisor, CEREMA, Lyon, France

• Jose I. Farran, P.E., Principal, Adavant Consulting, San Francisco, CA

Light Rail & Streetcar Developments Down-Under

Australasia has a booming light rail sector and also includes the world largest system; Melbourne. This session overviews the renewal progress and plans for the legacy streetcar system in Melbourne and also tours new LRT systems throughout the country.

• Prof. Graham Currie, Ph.D., Director of Public Transport, Public Transport Research Group, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

• Ian Hopkins, Principal Advisor, Network Planning, Yarra Trams, Keolis Downer Australia, Melbourne, VC, Australia

• Rene Lalande, Transdev Australasia

TECHNICAL TOUR: Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Facility

The tour is open to 150 participants, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tour the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Facility, which has the operations control center and the maintenance shop. Tour participants MUST BE AT THE EXCHANGE PLACE LIGHT RAIL STATION PLATFORM BY 1 P.M. to board the light rail vehicle for a ride to Liberty State Park Station. Upon arrival at the station, attendees will board three Charter Linkz buses (150-person capacity) for transport to the light rail facility. Participants will be divided into two subgroups and be taken through the operations control center and the maintenance shop. At the end of the tour, the group will board the buses and return to the Hyatt Regency by 5 p.m.

NOTE: No safety gear is required. However, formal and proper dress attire is required. Participants will be required to adhere to rules and instructions set by the guides to avoid the risk of injury.