Freight 101 Webinar Series: Rail

About the Webinar

This webinar, part of CTS's Freight 101 Webinar Series, explored freight rail in Minnesota. Lydia Underdahl (BNSF Railway, the largest Class 1 rail company in the state) and Mark Wegner (Twin Cities and Western Railroad, a leader in short-line rail) explained how freight rail works in our state, how it interacts with other modes, and where the system may head in the future.

This six-webinar series was held in conjunction with CTS's 2025 theme of "Unpacking Freight: From Producers to Front Doors." The series explored the importance of the freight system to Minnesota and offered a glimpse into how key freight modes work in our state. It featured leaders from the overall freight system as well as trucking, aviation, maritime, rail, and urban logistics sharing their thoughts about the opportunities and challenges facing the freight industry. 

Webinar Materials

• Webinar recording
• Online quiz: How much do you know about freight rail in Minnesota?
• Article: The robustness of rail: Transporting freight that drives economic development

Speakers

• Lydia Underdahl, Executive Director of Public Affairs, BNSF Railway
• Mark Wegner, President and CEO, Twin Cities and Western Railroad 

Questions?

Contact Natalie Niskanen at [email protected].