November 13, 2023

Don't miss your train!  Register now for the Winter Gathering in Centralia. Early bird rates close this Friday, November 17. Don't get left behind!

Arrive in Centralia by train -- make your reservations by Wednesday, November 15, and take advantage of Amtrak's Flash Sale!

GNWPRS Winter Passenger Rail Gathering, Centralia, WA, December 9, 2023

Why High-Tech Driving Doesn't Solve Traffic, and Why a Robust Rail Network is a Better Alternative

Peter Norton, Ph.D, will be giving a presentation about why improvements to automobile technology can’t solve the fundamental underlying problems of a highly car-dependent society, based on research from his books Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving and Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City. Following will be a presentation by Meredith Richards about how Virginia has discovered rail’s ability to increase transportation capacity at a fraction of the cost of continued roadbuilding.

Keynote Speakers

Peter Norton Ph. D, is associate professor of history in the Department of Engineering and Society at the University of Virginia, where he teaches history of technology, social dimensions of engineering, research, and professional ethics. He is the author of Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City (MIT Press), and of Autonorama: The Illusory Promise of High-Tech Driving (Island Press, 2021).

Meredith Richards is President of the Virginia Rail Policy Institute, Board Chair of the Rail Passengers Association, and former President of Virginians for High Speed Rail. She has a long history in rail advocacy and community involvement, including serving on the Charlottesville City Council and over 30 years involvement in public boards and commissions relating to transportation planning, municipal government, economic development and land use.

Saturday, December 9, 2023, 10:00 am - 3:45 pm PT
Centralia, WA Depot
Also available on Zoom

Hosted by All Aboard Washington, The Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates, All Aboard Northwest, and the Northwest Region of the Rail Passengers Association.

Register to attend in person or online at the AAWA website.

Downoadable flyer -- please share!