Rail industry icon Thomas F. Prendergast, CEO of Gateway Development Commission, leads off Next-Gen Rail Systems, the communications, signaling and advanced technology conference presented by Railway Age, and formerly known as Next-Gen Train Control.
Next-Gen Rail Systems reflects the evolving state of rail technology. Over the years, rapid technological developments—artificial intelligence, deep data analysis, machine learning, cybersecurity, telematics—have transformed train control into just one element of a complex, integrated platform. Systems and technology are constantly undergoing improvements and enhancements that deliver better safety, functionality, interoperability, versatility and reliability at lower life-cycle costs for rail transit, main line passenger rail, and freight railroads.
Meet Tom Prendergast
The Gateway Development Commission in January appointed Tom Prendergast, Railway Age’s 2017 Railroader of the Year, as Chief Executive Officer. Prendergast came to GDC from AECOM, where he, as Executive Vice President and Americas Transit Team Leader, oversaw design and consulting services across all business lines in New York and New Jersey, including transportation, water and wastewater, environment, power, and buildings. He brought significant experience managing large rail systems, including serving as President, Chairman and CEO of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, President of MTA Long Island Rail Road and MTA New York City Transit, and CEO of TransLink in British Columbia. At MTA head, Prendergast led the way to securing a five-year capital plan to modernize New York City’s public transportation systems, oversaw restoration of service after Superstorm Sandy and critical rehabilitation and flood resiliency efforts, and spearheaded completion and opening of Phase 1 of the Second Avenue Subway.
“A modern rail system that ensures fast, reliable service for commuters and travelers is the foundation for strong and sustained economic growth,” Prendergast says. “As someone who has spent much of my career working to improve rail mass transit for residents of New York and New Jersey, I understand the urgent need for the Gateway Program—the most urgent infrastructure project in the nation—and am committed to making sure it is built on time and on budget.”
Next-Gen Rail Systems is an essential gathering for all those involved in the growing rail systems market—whether the focus is transit, main line passenger, or freight. Railway Age is proud to present a rebranded, expanded event that features the same in-depth technical sessions and comprehensive project updates that attendees have come to expect. This conference, since its 1995 inception, has always been a “must attend” event.
In addition to Tom Prendergast, leading experts in the lineup are Kris Kolluri, President and CEO of New Jersey Transit; Mario Péloquin, President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada; Dustin K. Lange, P.E., Senior Director of Engineering, Norfolk Southern, Mark Salsberg, Principal of WDG Consulting; Matthew Kim, Assistant Vice President Enterprise Strategy, Canadian Pacific Kansas City; Wilson Milian, PE, President and CEO of Milian Consultants, LLC; Pete Tomlin, Independent Consultant, Jonathan Kirby, Senior Director, NJT PTC, New Jersey Transit; Clarelle DeGraffe, General Manager, PATH; Steven Vant, Chief Signal Engineer, Conrail, Mike Palmer, Senior Project Manager, Parsons; Brian Yeager, Director Advanced Technology & Train Reliability, Norfolk Southern; Yousef Kimiagar, Vice President, Institution of Railway Signal Engineers; and Catherine Campbell-Wilson, Principal, StrategyFive.
Registration is now open for Next-Gen Rail Systems, to be held Oct. 30-31, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J. Attendees can get early bird rates on their registration from now until Sept. 5.
Railway Age conferences are known for providing valuable opportunities: networking with professionals from around the world; learning about innovative approaches to implementing advanced technologies; discovering new methods for procurement and contracting; providing input on standards development; becoming better-informed about ongoing and planned projects; and discovering what regulations are coming and how they could impact business.
Supporting Organizations
Industry support for Next-Gen Rail Systems is strong, including sponsorships from: 4AI Systems, Alstom, CSA – Critical Systems Analysis, Hitachi Rail, HNTB, KB Signaling, Parsons, Piper, SATS, and Milian Consultants, LLC. To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jonathan Chalon at jchalon@sbpub.com or (212) 620-7224.
