Tuesday, Oct. 8 | Day 1
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7:00am
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Registration Opens
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8:00am
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Breakfast Served
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8:30am - 8:45am
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Welcome: Summit Goals
- Brief background and history of the Greater Northwest Rail Summit
- Vision for the event, objectives, outcomes
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8:45am - 9:00am
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Spokane as a Rail Hub
Spokane County is the capital of the Inland Empire and serves as the hub for commerce, agriculture, tourism, and freight movement. Welcoming us to Spokane County and to the 2024 Greater Northwest Rail Summit is four term Spokane County Commissioner Al French.
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| 9:15am - 9:30am |
High Performance Rail: Advocating for increased investment in shared railroad infrastructure
Our rail corridors are most productive when they move both people and goods efficiently, safely, and reliably. High Performance Rail benefits communities through projects that enhance freight railroad capacity to better serve customers while also expanding passenger rail service for rural and underserved communities.
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9:30am - 10:30am
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Rail as an Economic Accelerator
Rail creates enhanced access to local products and commodities as well as commercial development around a train station, spurring economic development in rural and urban areas alike. How can local governments leverage both freight and passenger rail to encourage development and economic resiliency in their communities?
Session Recording
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10:40am - 12:00pm
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Renaissance for Passenger Rail Across America: From Washington DC to Your Local Depot
With unprecedented funding at the national level, we’re seeing long-overdue attention and investment in the Greater Northwest’s passenger rail network. Hear updates on:
- Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification & Development program and Long Distance Study
- Big Sky North Coast Corridor long distance route (Corridor Identification & Development: scoping)
- Dave Strohmaier, Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority
- Abe Zumwalt, David Evans & Associates
- Amtrak Cascades state-supported route (Corridor Identification & Development: service development, bi-national planning for the 2026 World Cup)
- The recommended Pioneer long distance route
- Bre Brush, Office of Mayor of Boise
Moderator: Sean Jeans-Gail, Rail Passengers Association
Session Recording
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12:15pm - 1:15pm
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Lunch Plenary: Looking Ahead at the National Rail Network
The excitement around restored passenger rail service is not limited to the Greater Northwest. How are expansion plans and strategic investments across the country advancing a national rail network and how will that benefit our region?
Session Recording
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1:30pm - 2:30pm
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Green Farms to Green Ports: Feeding the World Starts with a Short Line
Short line railroads are the capillaries through which agricultural and manufactured goods flow to the Class I railroad arteries. Investing in and maintaining these critical corridors supports local economies, global trade, and the success of our inland port authorities.
Session Recording
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2:30pm - 3:30pm
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Green Farms to Green Ports: Strengthening Supply Chains Through Rail Investment
Across the Greater Northwest, trains moved 50.1 million tons of freight in 2021, keeping the equivalent of 4.1 million trucks off the road. Recent projects show how ports and railroads work together to connect our inland farms with international markets and to move agricultural products with lower emissions.
Session Recording
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3:45pm - 4:45pm
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Summit Town Hall: High Performance Rail Project Brainstorm
High level visions must be accompanied by specific project ideas. What concrete projects would complement restoration of passenger rail service or improved movement of freight? Share your ideas and community needs and make a pitch for the next High Performance Rail project in the northwest. Bonus points if it can be bundled with other projects in the area.
Session Recording
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4:45pm - 5:00pm
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Closing Comments
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5:30pm - 7:30pm
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Evening Reception - Riverside Place Commandery Room
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