Welcome to the 2021 Southeast Rail Forum (SRF)! We are thrilled you decided to join us and are so excited to tell you about what we have planned within the virtual platform. This guide will assist you to learn and take advantage of all the cool SRF features and events. Click on any of the boxes below to learn more about it.
Download the App
User Profile
Agenda
All Aboard
Challenge
Welcome Reception
The Wall
Speakers
Exhibitor Cars
Notifications/
Announcements
Rail Segment
Sessions
Conductor Tours
Networking Yard/
Chat
Take Notes
PDH & AICP
Conference Map
User Profile
Create Your Own Profile
Create a profile that wows and puts you in touch with the right people. This is your networking connection for the forum—like your virtual business card!
Download the App
Click here to access the Web Apps downloads. You can get the best SRF access with Web App for Desktop. Already have the SRF Web App downloaded? Click here to log into SRF.
Agenda
Building your agenda in the app is quick and easy! Simply select the plus icon next to a session that you want to join. Note there are options to add a reminder notification.
Click here for a tutorial on how to build your agenda!
Wednesday, March 24
Opening Session 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Major Developments in Rail 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Train Station — Break 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Rail, Ports and Economic Development 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Welcome Reception in SRF Networking Yard 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 25
SRF Rail Segment Sessions and Conductor Tours Active at 8:00 a.m. Train Station — Break 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Rail Plan Updates 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Train Station — Break 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Gateway to Gateway 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Raleigh’s Warehouse District – Underutilized to
Unique Revitalization 4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Friday, March 26
Reenergized by Rail 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Train Station — Break 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. The Southern Rail Commission – Reconnecting the
Gulf Coast by Rail 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Train Station — Break 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 p.m. Southeast Corridor Commission and Economic
Impacts of Rail 11:15 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Last Stop – Say your good-bye’s in the
Networking Yard 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Click here to view the full agenda.
Attendees will have exclusive access to all sessions and tours on-demand until October 31, 2021.
Welcome Reception
Join us in the “Networking Yard” for some fun interaction, networking, and a chance to win some cash rewards. First place winners will receive a special Gannett Fleming Prize Bag.
If you didn’t sign up for an experience and are having buyers remorse—don’t worry, there may be a second chance! Join the Networking Yard to find out more. If you did sign up for an experience, a calendar invite with the experience link will be sent out to you.
Train Station — Break
All Aboard Challenge
The All Aboard Challenge is an interactive game for attendees to explore all that SRF has to offer, plus earn points to win the top prize. Complete certain tasks in the list to get a code to input in the app for points. Each task is worth a certain number of points— some more than others. An attendee with the most points by noon on Friday, March 26 wins a $250 gift card!
Winner will be announced during the closing remarks on Friday. » Top of the Leaderboard wins a $250 e-gift card
» The next Top 4 Leaderboard attendees win a $100 e-gift card each
All Aboard Challenge winners are separate from the giveaway winner, meaning you could win both!
Conductor Tours
SRF is thrilled to be able to provide a FREE ticket to these exciting virtual “Conductor Tours” to all our attendees. These will allow attendees to capture the conference experience in a safe environment, under ideal conditions, along with providing access through an online, self-paced, immersive platform. We hope you will enjoy these virtual tours! As a bonus, SRF has included some additional short videos on various rail subject matter called SRF Shortlines. Be sure to check those out too!
With a condensed virtual forum, SRF is pleased to offer these standalone presentations to view at your own pace. Watch during the off times, evenings, or anytime with our on-demand access available until Oct. 31, 2021.
“Navigating the Nuances of Crossing Safety” “Alternative Technology – Out of the Shadows” “Epidemic of Railroad Pedestrian Deaths & Absence of
Countermeasures” “Improving the Customer’s Experience; Virginia’s Station Needs Assessment
for State of Good Repair”
Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway
Shoreline
FRA Safety Initiatives
Economic Benefits of Rail in the Southeast
“Dedicated Funding for Expansion of Passenger Rail Service – A Virginia Success Story” The Comprehensive
Cost of Rail Incidents in North Carolina FRA’S Discretionary Grant Programs “Southeast Corridor – Connecting Communities, Enhancing Economies”
SRF Networking Yard (by Wonder. me) is an interactive way to meet and chat with other attendees and SRF speakers during the breaks and welcome reception. The Networking Yard is like a physical space, but
digital. Connecting with others is easy: » Log onto the Networking Yard
(to be used during SRF Train Station breaks)
» Create your avatar
» Start networking with other in the space
• Move your avatar to a colored area and join a conversation! Only guests who are next to you can participate in your conversation, which is referred to as a “circle” (one circle can hold up to 15, but groups of 5 or fewer are recommended).
• By clicking or dragging your mouse around this digital space, you can move around and chat with other people. You cannot hear or see other conversation unless you join their group. When your avatar gets close to someone else’s avatar, a video chat will open.
• You can see all the people in the room via the participant sidebar. You will see their name, picture, and ice breaker answer with an option to invite them to a circle or chat directly!
We know this will not take the place of an in-person meeting, but really hope that SRF attendees will engage with one another to make this an exceptional event.
Click here to learn more about how the Networking Yard works.
Exhibitor Cars
Connect with virtual exhibitors to learn more about rail agencies and SRF sponsors. Talk one-on-one with an exhibitor by scheduling a meeting or checking out their special hyperlinks and attachments. Don’t forget to ask for your All Aboard Challenge code!
Speakers
As part of SRF networking, we are providing an easy way to access speakers by viewing their bio and request a connection.
SRF speakers will include representatives from:
NCDOT Railroad Federal Administration
Virginia DPRT
Transportation for America Kimley-Horn MacDonaldMott
NC Port Authority FGA Port Authority SC Ports CCX
Dewberry Southeast Corridor Commission Baton Rouge Area Foundation McNair Historic Preservation, Inc. Charlotte Area Transit System WSP JBG City of Raleigh Moynihan Station Development Corporation Greater Washington Partnership Shook Kelley VHB JMT
The Wall
The Wall is a fun way to network, discuss and interact with others within the SRF app. You can create comments or photos on the Wall, as well as like or comment on others’ posts. Some ideas of things you can post:
▻ Your favorite project or project leader ▻ Your ideas for the industry
▻ SRF experiences
▻ What you’re excited to learn about ▻ Speakers you enjoyed
Notifications/Announcements
Be sure to check out the announcement page to stay up-to-date on everything that’s happening throughout the forum.
» SRF Ready to Build Give-a-way — Five $50 gift cards will be drawn at end of every break in the Networking Yard. Winners to be drawn at random, posted in the announcements and notified via email. Attendees can only win once.
Take Notes
There’s no need for paper. Keep track of your favorite people by stashing notes and starring them for easy reference later!
Click here for instructions.
PDH & AICP
PDH & AICP credits will be sent via email to participants a week after the forum. Attendees can receive credits for live general sessions. If you have additional questions concerning PDH or AICP credits, please contact Elizabeth Phelps.
