Andy Byford, Amtrak Senior Vice President and Senior Board of Directors Advisor, Penn Station New York, is a featured speaker at Next-Gen Rail Systems, the communications, signaling and advanced technology conference presented by Railway Age, and formerly known as Next-Gen Train Control. Byford’s talk, “Penn Station New York Megaproject,” will focus on the modernization and transformation of Penn Station New York, the nation’s busiest passenger rail facility.
“The transformation of Penn Station must be much more than bricks and mortar. It must be about making the station operationally sound, safe, clean and easy to navigate,” Byford notes. “Customers need to feel like they know where to go. Everybody recognizes that what we have now is not good enough.”
Meet Andy Byford
Andy Byford, well-known to Railway Age conference attendees, is a globally acclaimed authority in public transit with an esteemed record of leading large transportation systems worldwide. Now Amtrak SVP and Senior Board of Directors Advisor, Penn Station New York, he previously led Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Program. Prior to his roles at Amtrak, Byford served as Commissioner of Transport for London, President of MTA New York City Transit, and CEO of the Toronto Transit Commission. His accomplishments include overseeing completion of London’s Elizabeth Line and modernization of the New York City subway. His work on the MTA earned him popularity among New Yorkers, who nicknamed him “Train Daddy.”
“Next-Gen Rail Systems expands the focus of Next-Gen Train Control, the communications, signaling, and advanced technology conference presented by Railway Age since 1995,” saysEditor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono. “The new name reflects the evolving state of rail technology. Over the years, rapid technological developments such as AI (artificial intelligence), deep data analysis, machine learning, cybersecurity and telematics have transformed train control to become just one element of a complex, integrated platform. That’s why we’ve expanded the program to encompass the entire system. Sessions will examine how signaling and train control is constantly undergoing improvements and enhancements that deliver better safety, functionality, interoperability, versatility, and reliability, at lower life-cycle costs.
“Next-Gen Rail Systems is an essential gathering for all those involved in the growing rail systems market—whether your focus is transit, main line passenger, or freight. We are 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 inception, has always been a ‘must attend’ event.”
In addition to Andy Byford, leading experts in the NGRS lineup are keynote speaker Tom Prendergast, CEO of Gateway Development Commission; Kris Kolluri, President and CEO of New Jersey Transit; Mario Peloquin, President and CEO of VIA Rail Canada, Dustin K. Lange, P.E., Senior Director of Engineering, Norfolk Southern, Mark Salsberg, Co-Principal of WDG Consulting; Michael Godfrey, Co-Principal and Chief Technology Officer, WGD Consulting; Matthew Kim, Assistant Vice President Enterprise Strategy, Canadian Pacific Kansas City; Wilson Milian, P.E., 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.
Register now for Next-Gen Rail Systems, to be held Oct. 30-31, 2025, in Jersey City, N.J.
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, Druid Software, Hitachi Rail, HNTB, KB Signaling, Milian Consultants, LLC., Parsons, Piper, SATS, and Siemens Mobility. To inquire about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jonathan Chalon at jchalon@sbpub.com or (212) 620-7224.
