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VitalRail brings together a diverse group of [[VitalRail Stakeholders|stakeholders]] who see unprecedented opportunities to boost efficiency in freight and rail transportation. We view rail infrastructure as the backbone of revitalizing North America’s essential industrial systems. Through our IntelliConferences and continual dialogues, VitalRail’s organizing and facilitation teams and professional stakeholders identify breakthroughs, make them actionable, and tackle industry challenges head-on.
{{DISPLAYTITLE:VitalRail Hub}}
VitalRail is unprecedented in its industrial policy scope. We have positioned the comprehensive set of initiatives for expanding freight rail service to North America’s industrial systems and communities. Expanded rail service is crucial to the continent’s economic and environmental sustainability. There is no technological replacement on the horizon for railroads' efficient movement of heavy weight over land. To meet this moment, VitalRail facilitates the multi-stakeholder investments and system-wide optimization that individual sectors or actors cannot achieve on their own. Now is the time to orchestrate the stakeholder collaboration needed to resolve long standing issues and realize this tremendous infrastructure development opportunity.


Collaboration among stakeholders is fundamental to achieving the tremendous growth opportunity for:
'''To get involved in VitalRail, see our [[Participation Options]], and for background information see [[VitalRail/About|About VitalRail]]'''
* Railroads
* Rail-related companies
* The industries and communities they serve


VitalRail engages 14 interdependent stakeholder groups:
VitalRail works simultaneously in these five essential areas for growing freight rail service:


* Class I, II, and III railroads<!--Sometimes the 3 railroad classes are cited as Class I, II, and III, as in this instance, and sometimes they're cited as Class 1,2, and 3. Please choose a style and use it consistently throughout all publications (including emails, white papers, press releases, etc). Please note that the trend in the past years is to use Arabic, rather than Roman, numerals, so Class 1, 2, and 3 would be more modern.-->
#Citizen and community education on the benefits of rail transportation
* Investors, banks, and economic developers
#"Rail-enabled economic development" training for economic developers, landowners, and land developers
* Rail employees, customers, suppliers, and citizens
#Growth capital for rail-served industrial systems and projects
* Transportation planners, land developers, realtors, and site selectors
#Rail-centered industrial development initiatives for states and provinces
* Researchers, other transportation services and modes, and government leaders
#Collaborative resolution of long-standing barriers to shared prosperity, enabled by the IntelliConferences listed below:
Learn more about [[VitalRail Stakeholders]].


== The VitalRail Dialogues ==
== The VitalRail IntelliConferences ==
* [[Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger IntelliConference|Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger]]
* [[Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger IntelliConference|Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Merger]]
* [[VitalRail/Rail Growth Capitalization IntelliConference|Rail Growth Capitalization]]
* [[VitalRail/Rail Growth Capitalization IntelliConference|Rail Growth Capitalization]]
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* [[VitalRail/Rail Trucking Coordination IntelliConference|Rail Trucking Coordination]]
* [[VitalRail/Rail Trucking Coordination IntelliConference|Rail Trucking Coordination]]


==== [[The Case for VitalRail|Why is VitalRail Needed?]] ====
== See More ==
Though North America enjoys perhaps the world's most productive freight rail system in the World, the industry’s $115 billion annual revenue is in stark contrast with the freight trucking industry’s $1 trillion yearly revenue.


Railroads offer irreplaceable space, energy, and capital efficiencies. Increasing freight rail service will contribute cascading benefits to all stakeholders:
* [[VitalRail/About|About VitalRail]]
 
* [[VitalRail/VitalRail Stakeholders|VitalRail 360° Stakeholder Map]]
* A one-mile-long train moves the same goods as a 27-mile convoy of trucks
* [[VitalRail Capitalization|Bridging the Rail Growth Capitalization Gap]]
* Its energy efficiency allows it to move that freight on one-quarter to one-half of the fuel required as well as the resulting emissions
* [[Media:OTNA VitalRail 18Nov2025.pdf|VitalRail Opportunity Memo]]
 
VitalRail serves at the heart of OTNA as a comprehensive strategy for enhancing the productivity of our industrial systems by expanding freight rail service.
 
There has never been a greater need or more opportunity for capitalizing railroad development to address transportation efficiency and environmental challenges. Rather than  emotional critiques and general calls for a so-called rail renaissance, VitalRail is informed by the real challenges and benefits of growing an industry as integral as railroads.
 
At the same time, we need more from railroad companies than they can accomplish on their own. Fortunately, railroads do not need a government bailout, and they outperform many other industries. That stability—combined with rail technology’s inherent efficiencies—delivers a high return on investment when the involved stakeholder groups work together.
 
==== VitalRail Value Proposition ====
Expanding freight rail service is crucial for sustainable industrial growth across North America.
 
As the continent pursues reshoring and reindustrialization, railroads need to serve as the backbone of supply chain transportation. Like high-speed internet, robust rail service is fundamental to community prosperity; its absence creates economic barriers and environmental costs. However, neither marketplace dynamics nor vested-interest lobbying lead to smart supply chains. For North America’s future prosperity, they must be reconceived with the thoughtful input of all stakeholder groups.
 
Learn more about the [[VitalRail/VitalRail Value Proposition|VitalRail Value Proposition]].
 
==== VitalRail FAQs ====
Go to the [[VitalRail/VitalRail FAQs|VitalRail FAQs]] page to get your early questions answered.

Latest revision as of 19:04, 25 November 2025

VitalRail is unprecedented in its industrial policy scope. We have positioned the comprehensive set of initiatives for expanding freight rail service to North America’s industrial systems and communities. Expanded rail service is crucial to the continent’s economic and environmental sustainability. There is no technological replacement on the horizon for railroads' efficient movement of heavy weight over land. To meet this moment, VitalRail facilitates the multi-stakeholder investments and system-wide optimization that individual sectors or actors cannot achieve on their own. Now is the time to orchestrate the stakeholder collaboration needed to resolve long standing issues and realize this tremendous infrastructure development opportunity.

To get involved in VitalRail, see our Participation Options, and for background information see About VitalRail

VitalRail works simultaneously in these five essential areas for growing freight rail service:

  1. Citizen and community education on the benefits of rail transportation
  2. "Rail-enabled economic development" training for economic developers, landowners, and land developers
  3. Growth capital for rail-served industrial systems and projects
  4. Rail-centered industrial development initiatives for states and provinces
  5. Collaborative resolution of long-standing barriers to shared prosperity, enabled by the IntelliConferences listed below:

The VitalRail IntelliConferences

See More

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