TRB 2024 RailTEC Faculty, Staff, Students, Alumni
Secretary Buttigieg with RailTEC Faculty and Staff
RailTEC Graduates Working Around The World

Welcome to the University of Illinois Rail Transportation and Engineering Center (RailTEC)

In the news

Four Alumni Honored

RailTEC is proud to announce that four RailTEC alumni have recently been honored for their contributions to the rail industry. Darwin Schafer II made the 2024 “10 Under 40” list published by Railway Track & Structures (RT&S). This list is released annually in April and first began in 2021 to honor young engineers that best... Read More

Engineering Open House 2024

Hundreds of visitors on the first day of the 2024 Engineering Open House (EOH) stopped by the Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus where they could experience driving a train and learn about railroad signaling systems. Illinois students representing RailTEC, the UIUC student chapter of the American Railway Engineering and... Read More

Barkan Quoted in AP Article

Professor Christopher P.L. Barkan, George Krambles Director of RailTEC, was quoted twice in an Associated Press (AP) article written by Josh Funk on March 26, 2024. In his article, Funk discusses positive train control (PTC) and how, in this case, PTC would not prevented the collision of three Norfolk Southern trains in Pennsylvania in early... Read More

What we do

Education

RailTEC inspires and engages students by offering the most extensive curriculum in railway engineering and transportation in North America. We offer multiple courses on rail topics and are committed to placing our graduates in rewarding public and private sector positions.  RailTEC also supports continuing education of rail professionals through seminars, short courses and conferences.

Research

RailTEC is a global leader in practical and theoretical research advancing the field in a broad range of important and timely railroad and rail transit engineering and transportation topics. Advanced research investigations are underway in railway safety, systems, and infrastructure, addressing dozens of topics that are essential to maintaining the safety, efficiency, reliability, sustainability and resiliency of railroad freight and passenger transportation.

Service

RailTEC shares its expertise with industry, government, academia, and the public helping to interpret and apply knowledge and implement solutions to advance rail transport and engineering. Our faculty and staff are well engaged as leaders and members of AREMA, TRB, AAR, ASCE, INFORMS, and IAROR committees.