Campus News

'Barge and Rail' Symposium a Success

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 22, 2013) — Leading representatives from private industry, government and academia, gathered in Louisville Aug. 14-16 for the 2013 Barge and Rail Symposium.

This inaugural symposium provided an opportunity for invited presenters and experts on multimodal transportation to present cutting-edge research focused on improving the speed and reliability of freight movement via the nation's inland waterways and rail systems. The symposium fostered a productive exchange of ideas and laid the groundwork for enhancing the sustainability and long-term viability of the United States’ multimodal freight networks.

Sessions covered a variety of topics related to the past, present and future of multimodal transportation. One of the critical themes to emerge from the conference was finding new ways to leverage knowledge about transportations systems’ crucial interactions and interdependencies to streamline freight movement.

Many of the presentations confronted tough but rewarding questions about what steps are needed to bolster the multimodal efficiency of the nation’s inland waterways and rail infrastructure. The ideas that emerged through the symposium will benefit the efficiency of multimodal freight transportation. 

In addition to presentation sessions, participants visited the Kentucky Railway Museum, McAlpine Locks and Dam, the Falls of the Ohio, and American Commercial Lines’ Jeffboat Manufacturing facility. These invaluable excursions gave attendees direct insights into the daily operation of the multimodal transportation systems that serve as critical links in the nation's supply chains.  

“We could not have been more pleased with the success of this conference,” said Joe Crabtree, director of the Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky.  “The turnout was even greater than we had anticipated, and there was a wonderful exchange of information and ideas among the participants. I was particularly pleased to see the excellent interaction and cooperation that occurred among folks representing the different modes.” 

The symposium was made possible through partnerships between the Transportation Research Board, the Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium, and the Kentucky Transportation Center. Conference sponsors included American Commercial Lines, Genesee  and Wyoming, Global Transportation Consultancy LLC, Patriot Rail, and the University of Louisville.