A presentation by the Transport Thematic Group
Following the presentation by Jorge Rebelo on October 9th on Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Urban Rail Systems, on November 19th we will welcome Mr. Steve Ditmeyer to further talk about the relevance of Intelligent Railway Systems based on his experience in both Europe and the US. In his talk, Mr. Ditmeyer will explain the key differences between European and U.S. systems, describe where and how sensors and sub-systems generate information, and how that information is transmitted to the AI systems. He will discuss how, when properly integrated, Intelligent Railway Systems can enhance not only railway safety but also efficiency, security, and profitability—while improving service to customers. Some of these systems are already in operation, others are developed but not yet implemented, and some remain under development.
Mr. Steve Ditmeyer has devoted his entire career to the railway sector. He holds degrees from MIT (B.S. Industrial Engineering) and Yale University (M.A. in Economics) and served as a U.S. Army Transportation Corps officer, retiring as a Major. His extensive professional experience includes: (a) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA): Associate Administrator for Policy where he was involved in the creation of Amtrak, worked on deregulation of the freight railways, and served as acting general manager of The Alaska Railroad; (b) Burlington Northern Railroad: Director of R&D where he was intimately involved in the development and testing of the first GPS and digital communications-based Positive Train Control system; (c) World Bank: Transport Economist (1974–77) in the then so-called EMENA region, and later, as an consultant, Railway Technology Expert (2020–24), developing Intelligent Railway System plans for railways in the ECA region; and (d) Academia and Consulting: Associate Professor of Economics at National Defense University and Adjunct Professor at Michigan State University’s Railway Management Program and founded his Transportation Technology and Economics consultancy. Mr. Ditmeyer has also lectured at leading business schools in Paris and Lyon, and at the Indian Railways Staff College in Vadodara, and continues to be a respected voice in railway innovation and policy.
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