5 March 2024 – 2024 New York Rail Summit

Date/Time
Date(s) - 5 March 2024
2:30 pm EST - 6:30 pm EST

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT)

presents the

2024 New York Rail Summit

March 5^th – 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm

Join us for informative and interactive presentations on a range of topics related to rail in New York. A unique opportunity to hear from four leaders at the heart of the city’s rail industry.

Opportunity to meet and network with fellow rail professionals in the city.

Location: 666 3rd Avenue, Oculus Room (6th Floor), New York 10017 (5-minute walk from Grand Central Station)

Registration: CILT Members: No charge | Non-Members: $25.00

**** Refreshments provided ****

Capacity is limited – register now to avoid disappointment.

Event Sponsors

For sponsorship opportunities contact admin@ciltna.com referencing “NY Rail Summit”

Agenda:

2:30 – 2:45      Reception / Networking

2:45 – 3:00      Welcome – Andrew Young Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

3:00 – 3:40      Chad Scholes – The Laser Train and other efficiency initiatives at Metro North

3:40 – 4:20      James Bonner – On Shared Rails: The Complexities of Freight Operations Amidst Passenger Priorities

4:20 – 4:35      Refreshment Break

4:35 – 5:15      Michael Shiffer – Planning for a Dynamic Future

5:15 – 6:00      Graham Beal – Rail Decarbonization

6:00 – 6:30      Close / Networking

About the speakers:

Chad Scholes, Executive Director, Continuous Improvement for Metro-North Railroad

Chad Scholes is the Executive Director, Continuous Improvement for Metro-North Railroad. He has the primary responsibility for leading, managing, and driving the continuous improvement of Metro-North’s operations along with direct oversight of Enterprise Asset Management, Information Technology systems, operational readiness, and data analytics. Chad started with Metro-North Railroad in 2015 as the Deputy Chief Mechanical Officer for rolling stock where he laid the foundation for the department to achieve the highest level of mean distance between failure performance. Prior to Metro-North Railroad, Chad served in the United States Air Force as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer, was a deployed wartime squadron commander and deputy Wing Commander before retiring after 20 years of service.

James P Bonner, President New York & Atlantic Railway Company

As President of the New York & Atlantic Railway Company, James P. Bonner leads a key provider of rail freight services in the New York City Metropolitan area. Operating as a pivotal subsidiary of Anacostia Rail Holdings Company, a Chicago-based firm specializing in the development and management of short line railroad operations across the United States, the New York & Atlantic Railway plays a crucial role in connecting the New York City and Long Island Metropolitan area’s freight services with the nationwide network. With over 26 years in the railroad industry, James P. Bonner has progressed from track laborer to President, gaining valuable insights through roles at multiple railroads across the United States. His diverse experience underpins a deep understanding of the sector’s nuances and a strategic approach to leadership. Beyond his professional duties, James significantly contributes to his local community and the broader transportation industry through strategic board roles with Island Harvest, Vision Long Island, and the Traffic Club of New York. James holds a Business/Computer Science degree from Northwest Kansas Technical College. He is currently enhancing his knowledge by pursuing a Master’s degree in Transportation Management at the University of Denver.

Michael J. Shiffer, Ph.D., Senior VP, Regional Planning, NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Michael J. Shiffer is the Senior Vice President of MTA Regional Planning where he leads activities that inform strategic planning for MTA’s network of buses, subways and railroads in the New York metro area.  Dr. Shiffer is formerly Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy at TransLink (in greater Vancouver, Canada) and Vice President for Planning and Development at the Chicago Transit Authority. Previously, Mike served on the planning faculties of University of Illinois at Chicago and at MIT. He holds a Ph.D. in Regional Planning and Master of Urban Planning from the University of Illinois.

Graham Beal, Director Project and Program Management, Network Rail Consulting

Graham is a specialist in Project and Program Management with 20 years’ experience in various Leadership, Project Management and Engineering roles, gained across Railroad, Aerospace and Defence industry sectors. Graham is experienced in all railroad disciplines, in Organisational Diagnostics and in projects spanning Asset Management, Maintenance, Operations, Infrastructure and Vehicles. Graham has experience leading teams of up to 110 people, consisting of Engineers, Project Managers, Planners and Commercial staff, to safely deliver projects up to £1bn in value. Graham places emphasis on collaboration by creating a clear vision and establishing partnerships with the client and supply chain in order to develop effective solutions. He has proven ability to introduce systematic management techniques to provide structure and accountability for those working on tasks ranging from daily maintenance through to $billion projects.

About the moderator:

Andrew Young FCILT, Director, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport North America

Andrew is CILT International Vice President for the Americas, Chair of CILTNA’s United States Chapter and a member of the North America Board. He has over 30 years’ experience in transportation spanning passenger and freight railways, airlines, airports, public transit and multi-modal freight logistics. He has primarily worked in the UK, North America and Latin America.
He is currently Director for Passenger Business at Wi-Tronix, a provider of real-time diagnostics data and video from rail and transit vehicles.

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