The 2025 edition of Railway Age’s Next-Gen Freight Rail (NGFR) conference will feature CSX Head of Innovation Bill Jacobs and Director of Innovation Dave Mauger in a joint presentation about how the railroad is pushing the technology envelope.
Advanced technology incorporating artificial intelligence, machine learning and Big Data is changing the way railroads operate. At CSX, technologies like track inspection drones, railcar inspection portals and software-based digital tools provide continuous access and visibility, improving safety, customer service, sustainability, network velocity and productivity. Jacobs and Mauger will describe how all these technologies are being integrated into CSX’s day-to-day operations, and how they support the railroad’s capital investment and growth strategy.
The NGFR speaker lineup also includes CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs, Railway Age’s 2025 Railroader of the Year; Canadian Pacific Kansas City President and CEO Keith Creel; Christopher P.L. Barkan, Ph.D.,Executive Director, RailTEC and The National University Rail Center of Excellence, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and Jeffrey Watson, Vice President Engineering, Genesee & Wyoming and Railway Track & Structures 2024 Engineer of the Year. The luncheon will honor Railway Age’s 2025 25 Under 40 “Fast Trackers.”
Railway Age’s Next-Generation Freight Rail conference takes place March 11, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Union League Club of Chicago. A unique opportunity to discuss the freight rail industry’s future, the conference brings together top executives and thought leaders to discuss topics ranging from business strategy to the latest technological innovations and increasing safety and reliability. The conference also features a luncheon honoring the 2025 winners of Railway Age‘s Fast Trackers 25 Under 40 awards.
