MxV Rail Celebrates the Rail Community and Fifty Years of FAST® Operations

May 21, 2026, Pueblo, CO – The 31^st Annual AAR Research Review, hosted by MxV Rail from April 28-30, 2026, brought together nearly 300 attendees from around the world, including 39 Class I representatives, university students, and leaders in the rail industry.

From in-depth technical sessions to meaningful, face-to-face collaboration and experiences, Research Review is where ideas turn into impact, and everyone becomes part of the legacy of excellence that drives railroad engineering forward.

“By uniting the rail industry across sectors and investing in the next generation of railroad leaders, we are building a safer, more reliable, and sustainable rail network for tomorrow,” said Scott Cummings, AVP Research & Innovation at MxV Rail. “This year will always be memorable for the 50^th anniversary of FAST^®. We’re proud to host the unique combination of real-world, full-scale testing in a controlled and accessible environment provided by FAST^®.”

Five Highlights from the AAR Research Review:

1. Keynotes by Rand Ghayad, SVP and Chief Economist at AAR, and Mark Patterson, Associate Administrator, Office of Research, Data, and Innovation at FRA – these luminary speakers opened the conference with insights and perspectives that connected freight rail to the broader U.S. economy and American leadership in technologies. Hearing about the policy and economic issues shaping our industry, as well as FRA’s research priorities, was great preparation for the week of conference presentations and Committee meetings.
2. 50 Years of FAST^® – attendees celebrated five decades of pioneering research and knowledge-building through the Facility for Accelerated Service Testing program. To commemorate the milestone, attendees received a Golden Spike souvenir.
3. New Travel Grant Program – AAR and MxV Rail added a program this year that covered out-of-pocket expenses for 15 university students to attend as a way of developing the next generation of railroad engineers, scientists, and leaders.
4. Exclusive SRI Presentations – in-person strategic and technical presentations brought attendees up to speed on AAR’s Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) program, highlighting the very latest findings and opening challenges to the community. “Always a great event!” was heard in the halls, and “The presentations were top-notch this year.”
5. FAST^® Track Walk – the tradition continues, and attendees brought their own safety boots to explore the track at their own pace with MxV Rail advisory teams. To this day, FAST^® is the pinnacle for testing that pushes engineering teams forward, one test at a time. “I have always loved the Track Walk, ‘Rain or Shine’!”

Looking ahead, your next opportunity to join in the conversation of solutions to railroad challenges is the 133rd Damage Prevention & Freight Claim Conference, June 1-3, 2026, in San Antonio, TX. MxV Rail is proud to host this annual event that inspires railroaders to gain knowledge, network, and share experiences in the rail freight damage prevention industry. Learn more at MxV Rail’s conference page.

About MxV Rail: MxV Rail, a subsidiary of the Association of American Railroads, is the rail industry’s trusted partner for research, engineering, and training. Built on the principle of momentum, MxV Rail brings together leading experts, advanced infrastructure, and real-world testing environments to safely experiment, validate, and accelerate innovation. Through integrated capabilities in testing, research, consulting, standards, and training, MxV Rail helps the industry move forward with greater safety, reliability, and resilience while creating impact that extends beyond rail. Learn more at www.mxvrail.com.

Contact:        Niki Toussaint, Senior AVP Marketing & Education,
niki_toussaint@aar.com, 719-671-8676