Best Wishes to our May 2025 RailTEC Graduates!
CEE 411 Spring Field Trip
RailTEC at TRB 2025
RailTEC Graduates Working Around The World

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

In the news

Spring 2025 Field Visits

Both CEE 410 (Railway Signaling and Control) and CEE 411 (Railroad Project Design and Construction) participated in field visits this semester. On Saturday 10 May CEE 410 students visited CN’s Network Operating Center and Training Facility in Homewood to learn about CN’s network management and observe train dispatchers controlling train operations. In addition, they also... Read More

RailTEC Student Spotlight – Neeraj Thakur

Neeraj Thakur may be halfway around the world from his native Katmandu, Nepal, but he hopes to use the knowledge he has gained from the RailTEC program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the burgeoning rail industry in Nepal. After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 2016 from Tribhuvan University, Thakur worked... Read More

2025 Rail Student Scholarship Recipients

In addition to giving a William W. Hay Seminar on Friday 16 May, Paula Pienton, Chief Engineer Bridges & Structures with CN Railway, presented four RailTEC students with certificates awarding them CN Research Fellowships in Railroad Engineering. Paige Hardt and Xinhao Liu received awards for 2025 while Sadaf Shafie and Negin Shafie received ones for... 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.