Despite the challenges of teaching online during a pandemic RailTEC instructors Riley Edwards and Tyler Dick were ranked as excellent by the students in their fall 2020 courses. The ratings are determined each semester by students completing the Instructor and Course Evaluation (ICES) questionnaire form. Riley taught CEE 409 – Railroad Track Engineering and Tyler taught CEE 598 RTD – Railway Terminal Design and Operations. CEE 598 RTD was recently approved and now is a permanent course known as CEE 511. Click here to see a listing of UI instructors who earned the distinction to be included on this list.
CEE 409 – Railway Track Engineering
Railroad track is the backbone of a railway network and a key element of the vehicle-track system. Its primary functions are to support and distribute train loads, guide rail vehicles and facilitate drainage. The safe and efficient movement of trains requires that track is properly designed, constructed, inspected and maintained. The objectives of this course are to provide the student with a fundamental understanding of basic railroad track engineering principles, concepts, practices and technologies. The course also includes the development of a comprehensive track design project in a team setting. Finally, a field trip is planned to observe railroad track and engage in “hands-on” track construction and maintenance activities.
CEE 511 – Railway Terminal Design and Operations
In this course, students learn details of the design, operations planning, management and optimization of the terminal facilities required for the railway network to function as an efficient freight transportation system. Focus is on design of classification yards, intermodal facilities and bulk terminals, and how these facilities are organized into a network to provide different types of freight transportation service. Course includes a classification yard semester design project and field trip to observe a railway terminal facility.