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

What we do

Education

Inspire and sustain student interest in rail through a curriculum in rail engineering and transportation. Place graduates in rewarding industry positions.

Research

Conduct practical and theoretical research in critically important current topics in rail engineering and transportation.

Service

Provide knowledge and expertise to university, industry, government, and public on rail transportation and engineering topics.

Fight to Save North Shore Line

RailTEC graduate student, Tom Roadcap, recently published an article describing his grandfather’s involvement in trying to save the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad. Roy Roadcap commuted to work using the North Shore Line and in 1958, when it was announced that the line was going to be abandoned, Roy was elected president of the... Read More

RailTEC Graduates Three Ph.D. Students

Three RailTEC scholars successfully completed, defended, and deposited their Ph.D.’s this semester. Congratulations to Dr. C. Tyler Dick, Dr. J. Riley Edwards and Dr. Chen-Yu Lin. All three were advised by Professor and George Krambles Faculty Fellow Dr. Christopher Barkan. Dr. Edwards’ dissertation title was: Quantification of Prestressed Concrete Railway Crosstie Flexural Response: Implications for... Read More

Spring 2019 Class Field Trips

Both Spring 2019 rail classes took first-rate field trips in April. CEE411 (Railroad Project Design and Construction) went to the CSX Bedford Park Intermodal Facility on Tuesday, April 9 which allowed the students to observe containers and trailers being loaded on railcars and stacked within the facility. From there they went to the Metra 47th... Read More