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RPCA 2027 SCHEDULE

Schedule for the Railroad Passenger Car Alliance 2027 conference in Portland, Oregon, January 13–18, 2027.

This schedule is tentative and may change. Check back here for the latest version.

Last updated: October 2, 2026

Tentative Seminar Topic List

Topics will be entered into the agenda once the speakers, date and time are finalized.

  • Seaboard Passenger Car History
  • Lessons Learned Rebuilding Passenger Car Trucks
  • Onboard Service – How to Behave in the Yard
  • How to Learn About Your Car
  • Washing Stainless Cars
  • Passenger Car Structure
  • Basics of Car Inspection
  • How to HEP Your Car
  • UMLER
  • How to Dual Run Generators
  • So, You Want to be an Amtrak Inspector?
  • Dining Service on Class One
  • Insurance Update
  • Modern History of SP 3602 / Windows / TR History
  • TR History

.

Wednesday, January 13

3:00 – 6:00 pm
Registration openLloyd Center Pre-Function Area
3:00 – 6:00 pm
Vendor and silent auction setupBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room

Thursday, January 14

Lebanon excursion

6:00 – 10:00 am
Breakfast buffetMultnomah GrillIncluded in room cost
6:00 am – 5:00 pm
Registration openHotel, Lloyd Center Pre-Function Area
7:30 – 8:00 am
Buses start boarding for LebanonAdd-onHotel, Lloyd Center Pre-Function Area
8:00 am
Buses depart from hotel
10:00 – 11:00 am
Shop tourAERC/RFC OfficesHistory of RFC & AERC
11:00 – 11:15 am
Board trainAERC/RFC Offices
11:15 am – 2:30 pm
Train excursionPhoto run during trip. Box lunch provided.
2:30 – 3:15 pm
Depot history and gift shop visit
3:30 – 5:30 pm
Buses travel to hotel
5:45 – 7:15 pm
Vendor and silent auction setupBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room
6:00 – 7:00 pm
Independent dinner
7:00 pm – 2:00 am
Hospitality suite15th Floor Presidential Suite, room number TBA
7:00 – 11:00 pm
RPCA Board of Directors meetingHawthorne

Friday, January 15

Seminars at the hotel, evening at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center

6:00 – 10:00 am
Breakfast buffetMultnomah GrillIncluded in room cost
7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Registration openHotel, Lloyd Center Pre-Function Area
7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Vendor and silent auction room openBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room
8:30 – 9:00 am
Conference opening session and welcomeMultnomah/Holladay Ballroom
9:15 – 10:00 am
Seminar slot 1

  • Seaboard Passenger Car History – Reid Adams – Sellwood
  • Railcar Décor & Carpet (a.k.a. “interior design”) – Mike Brown – Ross Island
  • Insurance Update – Ken Bitten – Morrison
  • Topic TBA – Hawthorne
10:15 – 11:00 am
Seminar slot 2

  • How to Learn About Your Car – Jon Clark – Sellwood
  • Railcar Décor & Carpet (a.k.a. “interior design”) – Mike Brown – Ross Island
  • Fort Wayne: How to Run a Non-profit Railroad – Kelly Lynch – Morrison
  • Topic TBA – Hawthorne
11:00 am – 12:45 pm
Independent lunch
12:45 – 1:30 pm
Seminar slot 3

  • Succession Plan for PV Cars – Roy Wullich – Sellwood
  • Lessons Learned in Rebuilding Passenger Car Trucks – Mike Kelly – Ross Island
  • Car Toilets – Ray Clauss – Morrison
  • Topic TBA – Hawthorne
1:30 – 1:45 pm
Break
1:45 – 2:30 pm
Seminar slot 4

  • Topic TBA – Sellwood
  • Lessons Learned in Rebuilding Passenger Car Trucks – Mike Kelly – Ross Island
  • Can Computers Actually Help? – David Cautley – Morrison
  • Topic TBA – Hawthorne
2:30 – 2:45 pm
Break
2:45 – 3:30 pm
Seminar slot 5

  • Side Bearings on Trucks – Ray Clauss – Sellwood
  • Topic TBA – Ross Island
  • Topic TBA – Morrison
  • Topic TBA – Hawthorne
4:00 – 5:00 pm
Buses shuttle between hotel and ORHCHotel, Lloyd Center Pre-Function AreaLast bus leaves the hotel at 4:50 pm
4:15 – 5:15 pm
Train boardingOregon Rail Heritage Center
5:15 – 6:00 pm
Train excursion on the Oregon Pacific RailroadOregon Rail Heritage Center
6:00 – 8:00 pm
ORHC Fuehring Dinner BuffetAdd-onOregon Rail Heritage CenterBuffet opens when the train arrives
8:00 – 9:00 pm
Buses shuttle between ORHC and hotel
9:30 pm
Under 30s Meeting (Open to All)Location TBD
9:00 pm – 2:00 am
Hospitality suite15th Floor Presidential Suite, room number TBA
10:00 pm
Vendor and silent auction room closesBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room

Saturday, January 16

Seminars at the hotel and annual banquet

7:00 – 10:00 am
Breakfast buffetMultnomah GrillIncluded in room cost
8:00 am
Vendor and silent auction room opensBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room
9:00 – 10:00 am
Amtrak updatesMultnomah/Holladay Ballroom
10:10 – 11:10 am
FRA updatesMultnomah/Holladay Ballroom
11:10 am – 12:00 pm
FDA updatesMultnomah/Holladay Ballroom
12:00 – 2:00 pm
Independent lunch
2:00 – 2:45 pm
Seminar slot 6

  • UMLER – Michael Voiland – Sellwood
  • Topic TBA – Ross Island
  • Topic TBA – Morrison
  • Topic TBA – Hawthorne
2:45 – 3:00 pm
Break
3:00 – 3:45 pm
Seminar slot 7

  • Washing Stainless Cars – Jon Clark – Sellwood
  • Couplers – Mike Brown – Ross Island
  • Southern Pacific Domes & the SP 3602 Project – Dave Cautley – Morrison
  • Topic TBA – Hawthorne
5:00 pm
Doors open for the annual banquetMultnomah/Holladay Ballroom
6:00 – 8:00 pm
Annual banquetAdd-onMultnomah/Holladay BallroomGuest Speaker – Justin Tracy (Senior Manager, Heritage Mechanical & Steam, CPKC)
9:00 pm
Silent auction closesBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room
9:00 pm – 2:00 am
Hospitality suite15th Floor Presidential Suite, room number TBA

Sunday, January 17

ORHC shop seminars and NW Rail trips

7:00 – 10:00 am
Breakfast buffetMultnomah GrillIncluded in room cost
8:00 – 11:00 am
Silent auction pickupBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room
8:00 – 11:00 am
Vendor room openBroadway, Weidler, Halsey Room
9:00 – 10:00 am
General membership meetingMultnomah/Holladay Ballroom
10:00 – 10:30 am
Board of Directors meetingHawthorne
11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Independent lunch
12:15 – 12:30 pm
Buses board for ORHC shop seminars
12:30 pm
Buses leave hotel
12:30 – 12:45 pm
Travel to ORHC
1:15 – 3:00 pm
Shop Seminars, Session 1

  • Basics of Inspecting Your Car – Jon Clark & Bryan Reese
  • 700 Steam – Matt Baccitich
  • Topic TBA – Presenter TBA
1:15 – 4:00 pm
NW Rail trip 1 of 2Limited SpotsLeaves from the hotel
3:15 – 5:00 pm
Shop Seminars, Session 2

  • Basics of Inspecting Your Car – Jon Clark & Bryan Reese
  • 700 Steam – Matt Baccitich
  • Topic TBA – Presenter TBA
4:15 – 7:00 pm
NW Rail trip 2 of 2Limited SpotsLeaves from ORHC
5:15 – 7:00 pm
Shop Seminars, Session 3

  • Basics of Inspecting Your Car – Jon Clark & Bryan Reese
  • 700 Steam – Matt Baccitich
  • Topic TBA – Presenter TBA
7:00 – 7:15 pm
Buses board for hotel
7:15 pm
Buses leave ORHC
7:15 – 7:45 pm
Travel to hotel
7:00 pm – 2:00 am
Hospitality suite15th Floor Presidential Suite, room number TBA
Evening
Independent dinner

Monday, January 18

Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad excursion

6:00 – 10:00 am
Breakfast buffetMultnomah GrillIncluded in room cost
8:30 – 9:00 am
Buses start boarding for OCSRAdd-onHotel, Lloyd Center Pre-Function Area
9:00 – 11:30 am
Bus travel to Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad
11:30 am – 12:00 pm
Board train
12:00 – 3:15 pm
Train excursion on OCSR
3:30 – 5:30 pm
Bus travel to hotel

Items marked Add-on have an additional cost. Items markedLimited Spots are not an additional cost, but space is limited. Questions? Contact Brian Thompson at [email protected].