Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures are returning to Chicagoland for our much-anticipated third-annual in-person Women in Rail Conference featuring trailblazing women and their allies who are significantly influencing today’s freight, passenger and transit rail industry. This two-day event will be filled with dynamic panels, a celebratory awards luncheon, and the chance to network with a wide-reaching group of like-minded professionals—all at a new, larger venue.
Join the conversation with leaders Annie A. Adams of Norfolk Southern, Jim Derwinski of Metra, Kayden Howard of OmniTRAX, James T. Riley of the Railway Supply Institute, Laura McNichol of Watco, Scott Sandoval of Genesee & Wyoming, Jean Savage of Trinity Industries, and many more.
Program Highlights
Presented Oct. 15-16 at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, the 2025 Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference is once again bringing together a diverse group of railroaders with a shared commitment to our industry’s future. Enjoy networking opportunities and participate in key discussions—from how to maintain the momentum of inclusion to building strong support networks and taking advantage of ever-broadening career opportunities.
Program highlights include:
- Furthering industry inclusivity and showing allyship.
- Top executives and talent sharing their career journeys and diverse experiences, plus practical strategies for moving the industry forward.
- Advancing your career—from asking for a raise to developing new skills.
- New tech innovations and the latest applications.
Speakers will engage in informal “fireside chat” style conversations, offering their candid thoughts on each subject.
Women in Rail Awards
Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures have recognized the growth in leadership and engineering roles for women railroaders since 2017 and 2021, respectively, with Railway Age’s Women in Rail and RT&S’ Women in Railroad Engineering awards. This year, we are honored to present Railway Age’s 2024 and RT&S’ 2025 awards during a special Oct. 15 luncheon.
What Attendees Are Saying
As a first-time attendee of the Women in Rail conference, I found the experience both inspiring and empowering. Being surrounded by so many passionate change-makers, all dedicated to their careers and driving meaningful change in the rail industry, was truly motivating.
– Breana Parham, Norfolk Southern, 2024
The Women in Rail conference was outstanding! Hearing other women’s stories of overcoming adversity was truly inspiring and allowed us to connect through shared experiences. It serves as a reminder that we are not alone and highlights the importance of supporting one another.
– Veronica Guzman, Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Co., 2024
Although this event is identified as Women in Rail, as a male in the railroad industry, it was refreshing…to meet so many talented women in the railroad industry under one roof, validating my belief that women are pivotal for the future success of the rail industry.
– Marc Cañas, Zephyr Rail, 2024
This event was an incredible celebration—not only of the remarkable women in rail but of the entire industry. We still have ground to cover, yet we’re making significant strides, and the momentum will only keep building.
– Lisa Tackach, Railroad Construction Company, Inc. / League of Railway Women, 2024
Read the 2024 Women in Rail conference roundup >>
Supporting Organizations
Industry support for the Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail Conference is already strong, including sponsorship from: AITX (gold), GATX (gold), TrinityRail (gold), R. J. Corman (evening reception), API (innovation spotlight), Genesee & Wyoming (registration), UTLX (continental breakfast–day 1), RailWorks (afternoon energy break), Progress Rail (morning coffee break–day 1).
Learn More
- View the confirmed speakers and take advantage of the early bird rate for Railway Age / RT&S Women in Rail 2025 >>
- To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jonathan Chalon at jchalon@sbpub.com or (212) 620-7224.
