Field Trips - RailTEC

Field trip to Monticello Railway Museum – October 2021

Twenty-two students from CEE 408 and CEE 409 attended a working field trip at the Monticello Railway Museum (MRM) on Saturday, October 16, 2021.

George Roadcap (left), president of MRM, gives a safety briefing and discusses the students’ work for the day.

Students gaining hands-on track work experience.

Thanks to MRM for providing a working field trip experience for RailTEC students.

Field trip to Monticello Railway Museum – October 2019

Twenty students from CEE 408 & 409 on a working field trip to the Monticello Railroad Museum on October 19, 2019.

Projects consisted of assisting MRM volunteers installing ties, gaging, surfacing and aligning track, and placing ballast.

Thanks to MRM for the opportunity to provide a hands-on experience for RailTEC students.

CEE 410 Field Trip – April 2019

On Thursday, April 25 the CEE410 (Railway Signaling and Control) class went to Metra’s Signal & Wiring Shop in Mokena, where Illinois students learned about relay and microprocessor controlled CTC, ABS, APB, electric lock switches, and grade crossing warning system technologies.

Students then traveled to CN’s Dispatching Center & Locomotive Simulators in Homewood to learn about CN’s network management and observe train dispatchers controlling train operations. They then tried their hand at operating a locomotive simulator at CN’s training facility.

CEE 411 Field Trip – April 2019

Students observed track and building construction for the current expansion of the facility, as well as ongoing diesel locomotive rebuild and bi-level commuter railcar rehabilitation programs.

Students observed containers and trailers being loaded on railcars and stacked within the facility.

The class also went to the Metra 47th Street Diesel Locomotive and Coach Shop in Chicago.

CEE411 (Railroad Project Design and Construction) toured the CSX Bedford Park Intermodal Facility on Tuesday, April 9, 2019.

Field trip to Monticello Railway Museum – October and November 2018

Approximately 50 civil engineering students and faculty from the CEE 408 and 409 classes participated in two work days at the Monticello Railway Museum (MRM) in Monticello, Illinois.

CN Geometry Car – December 16, 2017

AREMA Student Chapter members braved the cold on Saturday, December 19, 2017 to tour CN’s Geometry Car as it passed through Champaign, IL.

Nao Nishio points out the various sensors and measuring systems on the outside of the geometrycar and how they relay information to the software in the inside.

A CN employee points out how the data management system is displayed on the large screens inside the geometry car.

A CN employee demonstrates to students how the geometry car inspects several parameters of the track without obstructing normal railroad operations.

AREMA Committee 30(TIES) Technical Tour – Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2017

The RailTEC Infrastructure Group participated in the AREMA Committee 30(TIES) technical tour of Cajon Pass on November 1, 2017.

RailTEC students at Mission Tower on their technical tour of LA Metrolink on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.

Cajon Pass is a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California in the United States. It was created by the movements of the San Andreas Fault.

Metrolink trainsoperate on seven routes across a six-county, 538 route-mile network, which includes a portion of northern San Diego County.

Field trip to Monticello Railway Museum – October and November 2017

Students gaining hands-on track work experience. Thanks to MRM for the opportunity to provide a working field trip experience for RailTEC students.

Norfolk Southern Job Site – May 24, 2017

On May 24, 2017 a group of 10 RailTEC students and faculty went to an Norfolk Southern (NS) job site to inspect crosstie issues at a local rail crossing.

The group received a safety briefing with NS and watched construction activities for about an hour before returning to campus.

Field trip to Monticello Railway Museum – October 2016

Twenty five faculty and students from RailTEC classes on a working field trip to the Monticello Railroad Museum (MRM) on September 24, 2016.

Group photo on October 22, 2016 of faculty and students from RailTEC classes on the second day of a working field trip to the MRM.

Thanks to the Monticello Railway Museum for the opportunity for the students to practice their skills.

CEE410 Field Trip – April 2016

On Saturday, April 30 the CEE410 class (Railway Signaling and Control) visited the Norfolk Southern RR Illinois Division HQ and train dispatching center.

Students had the opportunity to meet train dispatchers and observe the dispatching hardware and software Norfolk Southern uses to control train movements safely and efficiently through much of the Midwest.

The group of 20 students enjoyed lunch at Krekel’s Dairy Maid in Decatur before heading back.

Students also witnessed various rail and train interactions.

UP Railyard in Villa Grove – April 16, 2016

Union Pacific Railroad hosted a railroad engineering field day on Saturday, April 16, 2016 at the UP Railyard in Villa Grove, IL. Students from UIUC and Purdue attended.

The theme was “Big machines. Bigger projects. Unlimited opportunity.”

RailTEC students learned about career opportunities in railway engineering and met the people and machines that keep the rail network running.

Ken Sito, Senior Assistant Vice President of Maintenance & Renewal in UP’s Engineering Department, interacts with students.

CEE411 Field Trip – April 2016

On Saturday 9 April, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s CEE 411 class (titled Railroad Project Planning and Design) traveled to Chicago to visit CSX’s Bedford Park facility. This class focuses on the planning, design, and construction management of large capital projects.

As a part of the field visit they toured Bedford Park to see what a large capital project looks like once it is constructed and operational. This provided a firsthand close up loop at an operational project and allowed the students to ask questions that were fielded by Matt Hiller of CSX Intermodal.

CN Railway TEST Tour – February 2016

On Sunday, February 14th, a dozen RailTEC faculty and students toured the new CN Railway Track Evaluation System Train (TEST) while it was in Champaign, IL.

The new test train measures track geometry and gage restraint while capturing video images of the track structure. RailTEC alum Kevin Day, CN Assistant Chief Engineer, Technology, Testing and Standards was instrumental in development of the new TEST train.

In addition to looking at all the equipment, the students were glad to be out of the cold.

CEE411 Field Trip – April 2015

Students listen to a presentation before touring the CSX’s Bedford Park Intermodal Facility.

The students help demonstrate the size of the equipment.

Students from CEE 411 pose at the CREATE GS15a capital project at 130th and Torrence Ave.

The CSX intermodal facility is located in Chicago and is among the largest in the United States.

Field Trip to Monticello Railway Museum October 2014

Nearly 70 civil engineering students and faculty from the CEE 408 and 409 classes participated in two “work days” at the Monticello Railway Museum (MRM) in Monticello, Illinois.

The projects consisted of assisting MRM volunteers installing ties, gaging, surfacing and aligning track, placing ballast and repairing washouts which included the installation of drainage pipes under the track.

More than 100 ties were installed and approximately 1,000 feet of track were restored to Class 1 conditions. A safe, productive and enjoyable time was had by all.

Thanks again to MRM for the opportunity to provide “hands on” track work experience for RailTEC students.

Field Trip to RAIL.ONE April 2014

The RailTEC Crosstie and Fastening System Research Team visited the new RAIL.ONE facility in Clinton, IA on April 25, 2014.

CEE411 Field Trip – April 2014

Students in CEE411 toured CN’s new facilities at Kirk Yard in Gary, Indiana on Saturday 12 April 2014. This trip was a good overview of classification yards, railroad operations, capital expansion projects, and, on a higher level, railroad culture (specifically safety).

CEE411 students touring CN’s new yard control tower at Kirk Yard.

Students in CEE411 tour CN’s renovated hump. One graduate student noted “Visiting CN Kirk’s Yard in Gary, IL was a remarkable experience. This major facility allowed me to admire CN’s professional yet collegial work environment. I’m thankful for the knowledge gained on working practices in a hump yard.”

Field Trip to Monticello Railway Museum September 2013

Faculty and students from RailTEC classes on a working field trip to the Monticello Railroad Museum on September 14, 2013.

Students installed new railroad ties as well as hardware.

CEE411 Field Trip – April 2013

Students from CEE411, Railroad Project Design and Construction, took a field trip to Chicago to visit the Norfolk Southern/Metra Englewood Flyover Project construction site and the CSX Bedford Park Intermodal Terminal.

A CEE411 student listens intently to an employee at the Norfolk Southern/Metra Englewood Flyover Project construction site on April 20, 2013.

Field Trip to Monticello Railroad Museum October 2012

Faculty and students from RailTEC classes on a working field trip to the Monticello Railroad Museum on October 13, 2012

Track work this year was inside one of the storage sheds.

Field Trip to Monticello Railroad Museum September 2011

Faculty and students from RailTEC classes on a working field trip to the Monticello Railroad Museum on September 19, 2011.

Volunteers working along the section of track to be maintained this year.

A student working hard to get the track aligned in exactly the right spot.

Students use a rail alignment tool and a track liner to get the rail into the right place.

Harso TRT Trip July 2011

Field Trip to Monticello Railroad Museum September 2010

RailTEC faculty and students from CEE408 and CEE409 on a working field trip to the Monticello Railroad Museum on September 11, 2010.

Two student shovel ballast to take to today’s working area.

Hauling a new railroad tie into place with a pair of tie tongs.

Student tamping around the newly replaced ties.

Field Trip on BNSF Geometry Car – July 2009

BNSF Track Geometry Car 85, waiting near the Amtrak Station in Galesburg, Illinois.

Matt Toussaint, after riding in the cab of BNSF locomotive 4022.

Aboard Geometry Car 85, watching the display panels as we run over track on the BNSF Beardstown Subdivision.

Railroad Engineering Program students Matt Toussaint and John Zeman enjoying the ride on Geometry Car 85.

Matt Toussaint and fellow student Tristan Rickett while leaving the geometry car

Field Trip to Monticello Railroad Museum – April 2009

498RD Field Trip to Memphis, TN – April 2009

Photographs courtesy of J. Riley Edwards

Field Trip to Monticello Railroad Museum – September 2008

Photographs courtesy of Chris Barkan.

Field Trip to Monticello Railroad Museum – April 2008

Photographs courtesy of Athaphon Kawprasert

498RD Field Trip to Memphis, TN – April 2008

Tour of CN’s Johnston Yard Mini-Hump Construction

Tour of CN’s Intermodal Gateway Memphis Facility.

Tour of BNSF’s Memphis Intermodal Expansion Project

Photographs courtesy of Athaphon Kawprasert

University of Kentucky Students and Faculty Visit – March 2008

University of Kentucky students and faculty visited the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Railroad Engineering Program March 7-11, 2008. The scheduled events were presentations from professors of the UIUC students on their research, lectures from University of Illinois and University of Kentucky, a tour of Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory, a presentation from Chuck Gullakson – CSX Transportation, a presentation from David Becker – Norfolk Southern, and a field trip to the Norfolk Southern Railway’s Decatur Yard and Dispatching Center in Decatur, IL. This visit provided an unique opportunity for both University of Kentucky and University of Illinois to collaborate with each other about railroad engineering and to learn more about possible research and career opportunities.