Thought Leadership

27 posts

RSI President’s Year-End Reflections: Evolutions and Achievements in 2025 

By RSI President Jim Riley Dear members, partners, and supporters of the North American rail supply industry,  As we close out this year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve undertaken together. Stepping into the role of RSI president at the end of March has been an honor and a privilege for me. Never did I dream as a child growing up in Upstate New York near […]

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Ensuring Quality Across the Industry: An Interview with the QAC Chair and Vice Chair

By RSI Staff After a year of significant transitions, quality assurance (QA) across railway suppliers’ products and services are more important than ever. Guidance and service offerings that can assist the industry are critical for moving rail forward towards innovation, safety, and reliability. Formed with these initiatives in mind, RSI’s Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) is […]

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Driving the Future of Rail: A Conversation with Wabtec’s Eric Gebhardt

By RSI Staff At a June 2025 U.S. House Subcommittee hearing on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, Wabtec Corporation’s Executive Vice President and CTO Eric Gebhardt testified on behalf of RSI. His testimony highlighted the transformative technologies reshaping America’s rail network, and how support from Congress is needed to continue RSI’s mission of advancing safety […]

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The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ Member Impact

After many months of negotiations, H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law on July 4, 2025. H.R. 1 extends critical provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and adds several new provisions that were stated as a high priority for Congressional Republicans this Congress.  “Among these are the […]

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On the Ground at Railway Interchange 2025

By RSI Staff Thank you to everyone who attended Railway Interchange 2025. The event included over 4,000+ attendees from almost every state, 43 countries and nearly 500 exhibitors. While in Indianapolis we interviewed speakers, attendees and exhibitors about projects on the horizon, collaboration with others in the rail industry and evolution in technology in the […]

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Laying Down the Tracks for Success

By RSI President Jim Riley Earlier this year, I was honored to step into the role of president for RSI, filling “big shoes” being preceded by Patty Long. The vision she and the board have laid out has significantly strengthened RSI. It’s clear I’ve been set up for success. It’s my intention to build upon […]

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How the Current Legislative Landscape Is Impacting the Future of Passenger Rail 

By RSI Staff As predicted by many at Railway Interchange last year, the Trump administration is bringing political changes that will significantly impact transportation funding. Ahead of this year’s event, we spoke with two Railway Interchange speakers, Husein Cumber, senior advisor, Brightline Holdings, and Robert Pearsall, partnerships director at U.S. High Speed Rail, to understand the […]

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Making Sense of Tariffs and Inflation for Freight Rail

By RSI Staff Recent changes to economic and trade policies are fueling significant challenges within the freight rail industry. As decision-makers face uncertainty, particularly around rail traffic and equipment demand, many are left to wonder whether they should proceed with caution or move forward as planned. At Railway Interchange, taking place May 20-22 in Indianapolis, […]

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