Railway Interchange

What Railway Interchange does

Railway Interchange is a biennial trade conference and exhibition platform serving the North American freight and passenger rail industry. Founded in 2011 in response to Class I railroad demand for a unified industry event, the conference is jointly organized and co-owned by three rail trade associations: the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA), the Railway Supply Institute (RSI), and Railway Systems Suppliers, Inc. (RSSI). The event consolidates the entire rail supply chain—track maintenance equipment, rolling stock, communications and signaling systems—into a single three-day gathering, attracting 4,000+ industry professionals, 400+ exhibitors, and 25+ education sessions. The 2026 edition was held June 2-4 at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, with future events scheduled through 2030 in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Kansas City.

The platform is event-driven and physical in nature, with no proprietary software product. Revenue is generated across three streams: tiered attendee registration fees (with free admission for railroad employees, government officials, students, and press), per-square-foot exhibitor booth rentals (priced at $27-$45/sq ft depending on member status, location, and indoor/outdoor placement), and tiered sponsorship packages that include digital, physical, and attendee-data marketing benefits. The operational stack is delivered through third-party partners: Map Your Show (exhibitor platform and mobile app), Registration Control Systems (ticketing), Fern Exhibitions (booth services), and ConferenceDirect (housing bureau). Sales of exhibit space is decentralized, with each of the three associations managing their respective halls.

The customer base is split between exhibitors (suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers selling to railroads) and institutional buyers (Class 1 railroads, short line railroads, transit, mining, and government). Featured exhibitors in 2026 included Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, Herzog, and Omaha Track. The conference is supported by an industry-wide Economic Impact Report co-produced with Oxford Economics in 2026, which credits the rail supply industry with $127 billion in annual GDP contribution and 906,000+ jobs. Railway Interchange is operated by an 11-50 person staff but functions primarily as a convening layer atop the three associations' existing memberships and infrastructure.

Name

Railway Interchange

Legal name

Railway Interchange

Website

https://railwayinterchange.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Railway Interchange is North America's largest rail supply industry conference, jointly organized by three trade associations (REMSA, RSI, RSSI) and serving Class 1 railroads, short lines, equipment suppliers, and mining concerns through an annual exhibition, education program, and networking event.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Shows and Industry Conferences

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

akta.pro primary industry

Transportation, Logistics & Mobility Shows Organizers (THAHABAL)

Keywords

• Railway trade show
• Rail industry conference
• Rail supply exhibition
• Trade association conference
• Railway networking event

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Registration Fees: Charges admission fees for attendees with tiered pricing based on membership status (member vs non-member), attendee type (railroad employee, government, student, press receive free access), and package (expo hall only vs expo hall + RSI education conference). Additional exhibitor and shipper badges available at premium pricing.
2. Exhibitor Booth Fees: Charges exhibitors for booth space based on square footage with tiered pricing for member vs non-member companies and indoor vs outdoor space. Premium locations incur 10% surcharge. Sponsorship opportunities provide additional revenue with complimentary pre/post event attendee lists for $5K+ sponsors.
3. Sponsorship Revenue: Offers tiered sponsorship packages with benefits including website visibility, digital/physical marketing placement, on-site signage, and attendee list access. Sponsors gain expanded reach, brand elevation, and audience engagement through the Railway Interchange marketing ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Railway Interchange organizes North America's largest railway trade conference and exhibition, jointly hosted by three trade associations (REMSA, RSI, RSSI), featuring 400+ exhibitors, 25+ education sessions, and general keynote addresses across a three-day event. The conference serves rail industry professionals, Class 1 and short line railroads, and rail supply companies who attend for product showcasing, technology demonstrations, and business development. Revenue is generated through tiered attendee registration, per-square-foot booth rentals, and sponsorship packages.

Product overview

Railway Interchange operates as a unified conference and exhibition platform for the North American railroad industry, combining three core offerings: the main Railway Interchange Conference (the flagship annual event featuring exhibits, education sessions, and networking), the Expo Hall (showcasing 400+ exhibitors in indoor and outdoor spaces organized by REMSA, RSI, and RSSI), and General Sessions (keynote addresses from industry leaders). The organization also provides supporting services including exhibitor registration platforms (Map Your Show), sponsorship packages, and exhibitor service kits through partners like Fern Exhibitor Services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Free admission for railroad employees increases attendance and exhibitor value
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Oxford EconomicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Oxford Economics co-produced the 2026 Economic Impact Report for the U.S. rail supply industry, highlighting the industry's $127 billion annual contribution to GDP and 906,000+ jobs supported. RSI supported the report alongside Amtrak and other associations.
• Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011REMSA is one of three co-hosting associations of Railway Interchange. Represents companies manufacturing or selling maintenance-of-way equipment, products, and services, including engineers, contractors, and consultants in railroad transportation construction/maintenance. REMSA members exhibit rail/track products, track maintenance equipment, safety devices, and software. Contact: Heidi Baker, 202-844-6126, [email protected].
• Railway Supply Institute (RSI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011RSI is the largest trade association representing the full railroad supply chain—from smallest parts manufacturers to largest railcar builders/lessors. RSI represents locomotive, freight, and passenger railcar manufacturers; railcar owners and lessors; mechanical systems suppliers; railway measurement/maintenance systems; and communications/signaling suppliers. Contact: Dave Burnell, 312-673-4809, [email protected].
• Railway Systems Suppliers Inc. (RSSI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011RSSI serves the communications, signal, and IT segments of the rail transportation industry. Member companies supply components, systems, and engineering for communications and signal networks used for safe train movement. Founded 1966, RSSI holds annual exhibitions promoting and protecting diverse business interests of member companies. Contact: Theresa Wilder, 904-379-3366, [email protected].
• AmtrakcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmtrak supported the 2026 Economic Impact Report for the U.S. rail supply industry. The report details Amtrak's procurement activities, which supported nearly 46,000 jobs and generated $6.5 billion in GDP in 2024.
• Fern ExhibitionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFern is the official Decorator/General Services Contractor for Railway Interchange 2026, providing shipping, booth furnishings, rigging, lead retrieval, audio visual orders, and complimentary booth packages. Contact: 1-800-774-1251 ext. 1, [email protected].
• ConferenceDirectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial housing bureau for Railway Interchange, helping exhibitors and attendees select and book Omaha hotel rooms at negotiated rates. Deadline May 7, 2026.
• Map Your ShowcoreTechnology or IntegrationMap Your Show provides the exhibitor resource center, floor plans, exhibitor listing, and mobile app for Railway Interchange. Exhibitors can update profiles, access links to booth orders, and view deadlines through the platform.
• Registration Control Systems (RCS)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRCS handles event registration for Railway Interchange 2026. Contact: 805-654-0171, [email protected]. Manages attendee registration, exhibitor booth staff registration, and provides company password reset services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show): Biennial manufacturing technology trade show in Chicago organized by AMT. Emerging player with partial overlap on rail component manufacturers and industrial automation suppliers exhibiting at Railway Interchange.

Broad incumbents

• Hannover Messe: The world's leading industrial trade show held annually in Hannover, Germany. Broad incumbent serving overlapping industrial supplier and rail technology exhibitors, with comparable investment in indoor/outdoor demonstration space and education programming.
• CONEXPO-CON/AGG: North America's largest construction trade show, held triennially in Las Vegas by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Broad incumbent overlapping on heavy equipment exhibitors, outdoor demonstration formats, and rail construction/maintenance suppliers.
• bauma: The world's leading construction machinery trade show held in Munich, organized by Messe München. Broad incumbent peer on heavy equipment exhibitor base, particularly for rail construction machinery and track maintenance equipment suppliers that exhibit at both shows.

Direct peers

• APTA Expo: North America's largest public transportation trade show, organized by the American Public Transportation Association. Direct peer to Railway Interchange as both serve the North American rail/transit supplier ecosystem with exhibition, education, and networking formats.
• MINExpo: The largest mining industry trade show in North America, held every four years. DIRECT_PEER because Railway Interchange explicitly targets mining and industrial concerns as a customer segment, and the two compete for heavy-equipment supplier booth budgets.
• InnoTrans: The world's largest rail industry trade show held biennially in Berlin, organized by Messe Berlin. Direct peer to Railway Interchange as the global flagship rail exhibition covering rolling stock, rail infrastructure, and signaling — the main international competitor for rail supplier mindshare.

Others

• Informa Markets: The world's largest trade show organizer operating hundreds of B2B exhibitions including transportation and industrial events. Comparable as a publicly-traded event-organizer peer, though not a direct competitor in the rail niche.
• Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest trade fair organizers with global portfolio including transportation and industrial events. Comparable as a trade show organizer with similar exhibition revenue model and venue management expertise.
• RX Global (Reed Exhibitions): Major international trade show organizer operating industry exhibitions globally. Comparable as a major event-organizer peer with similar B2B exhibition business model and sponsorship revenue mechanics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RailwayInterchange
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/railway-interchange
• Instagraminstagram.com/railwayinterchange
• Xx.com/RailwyInterchg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Railway Interchange