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Railtec at Illinois

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Rail Transportation and Engineering Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Who we are:
For over a century the University of Illinois has been a leader in railway engineering research and education. Beginning with Talbot's fundamental work on railroad track design, and Schmidt & Tuthill's work on train energy and power requirements, through Hay's textbook on railroad engineering, The U of I has a distinguished record of accomplishment and remains highly respected by today's railroad engineering community. What we do:
Education
Inspire and sustain students and faculty interest in rail engineering and transport. Teach courses and offer a curriculum in rail engineering and transportation. Place Graduates in rewarding positions in rail engineering, transportation planning, and operations. Understand the critical educational issues in rail transportation, and develop practical, effective solutions. Research
Understand the critical research issues in rail transportation, and develop practical, effective solutions. Conduct practical and theoretical research in critically important current topics in rail engineering and transportation. Communicate the results of this research to the rail transportation community. Service
Provide knowledge and expertise to university, industry, government, and public on rail transportation and engineering topics.

10/22/2026

RailTEC at Illinois recently welcomed visitors from the Canadian National Railway (CN) for a tour of our Research and Innovation Laboratory (RAIL) and discussions focused on rail-infrastructure research at the University of Illinois.

Thank you to the CN team for taking time out of their schedules to engage with our students and researchers. We look forward to continued collaboration between industry and academia.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Illinois
Canadian National Railway Company

10/08/2026

Join us for our next Hay Seminar.

October 9, 2026
AI Applications for Intelligent Railway Ballast Condition Detection
Dr. Erol Tutumluer
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

📍 NCEL 2311 or via Zoom

Dr. Erol Tutumluer, Abel Bliss Professor in Engineering and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is a recognized expert in transportation geotechnics, with research spanning railroad track infrastructure, ballast and subgrade performance, transportation asset management, and more. He has authored 400+ peer-reviewed publications and serves as a leader in several national and international transportation engineering organizations.

In this seminar, Dr. Tutumluer will discuss emerging applications of artificial intelligence for railway ballast condition detection. The seminar will focus on how advanced imaging, machine learning, and data-driven analytics can improve safety, reliability, and performance.

This event is open to the public. Students, faculty, industry professionals, and community members are encouraged to attend.

Register here: https://illinois.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ortjACStQOKCvn5H8KnOag

10/07/2026

Join RailTEC for a special in-person seminar tomorrow and hear from Charity Duran, Director of Data Engineering and Analysis at BNSF Railway.

BNSF Railway is one of North America’s largest freight railroads, operating a 32,000+ mile rail network that transports consumer goods, agricultural products, energy resources, and commodities across the western two-thirds of the United States.

BNSF Railway is a leader in freight transportation, committed to fostering a safer, more innovative rail industry through investments in research, education, and technological advancement.

📅 Thursday, October 8th
🕧 12:15 - Pick up Lunch | 12:30-1:30 PM - Seminar & Discussion
📍 CEEB 1017

10/06/2026

Notice: “Factors Influencing Longitudinal Rail Movement Amplitude Derived from UAV-Based Measurements with Optimization-Based Geometric Correction” by Ramos, Dersch, Lima, and Edwards, published in the ASCE Journal of Infrastructure Systems.

This study developed a drone-based photogrammetric approach to quantify longitudinal rail movement amplitude near railroad structures (i.e., grade crossing, turnout, open deck bridge), and measure the effects of operational, geometric, and restraint-related conditions on it. The study analyzed 764 crossties near 20 structures across four U.S. heavy axle load freight corridors. A particular focus of the study was the role of rail anchoring in longitudinal restraint. Rather than simply classifying anchors as present or absent, or ETA or EOTA, the research characterized those components into Aligned (“A”), Embedded (“E”), Loose (”L”), and Absent (“0”).

Key findings of this research:

• Crossties with two aligned anchors (A-A) were associated with a 57% lower rail movement amplitude compared with non-anchored crossties (0-0).

• A crosstie with one loose anchor and one non-anchored side (L-0) was associated with an approximately 50% higher movement amplitude than the non-anchored reference condition.

• Directional traffic was associated with approximately 55% lower movement amplitude than bidirectional traffic.

• Grade was also statistically significant, with a one-percentage-point increase in grade associated with approximately 70% lower movement amplitude within the observed range.

This work demonstrates the potential of UAV-based measurements to investigate longitudinal rail movement in revenue-service conditions while providing additional insight into the role of effective rail anchoring. The results may help support future approaches to track inspection, maintenance prioritization, and assessment of longitudinal rail restraint.

🔗 Full paper: https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/JITSE4.ISENG-3044

Thank you to BNSF, Union Pacific Railroad, CSX Transportation, & Federal Railroad Administration.

09/28/2026

The Future of RailTEC 🚆

RailTEC is entering an exciting new chapter under the leadership of Dr. J. Riley Edwards, who recently became the George Krambles Director of RailTEC. The department will also be welcoming Yuanchen Zeng, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor this fall.

Building on the strong foundation established by retiring director, Dr. Christopher P.L. Barkan, RailTEC is headed toward continued growth in research, education, and industry engagement.

Dr. Edwards' vision for RailTEC focuses on three key areas:

- Research: Expanding innovation in data science, AI, automation, and more.
- Education: Broadening RailTEC’s curriculum through new graduate-level courses.
- Service: Strengthening collaboration with industry and professional organizations.

As rail transportation evolves, RailTEC remains committed to advancing safe, efficient, and innovative rail systems while preparing the next generation of rail and transportation engineering leaders.

Read more: https://railtec.illinois.edu/news-archive/

09/25/2026

Rail safety is everyone's responsibility. Today, the RailTEC team is proud to participate in Operation Lifesaver Inc. campaign to raise awareness about the importance of making safe choices around railroad tracks and crossings.

Whether you're walking, driving, biking, or working near the railway, remember: See Tracks? Think Train. Stay alert, obey warning devices, and never take shortcuts around tracks.

09/24/2026

Join us for the next William W. Hay Railroad Engineering Seminar Series at the University of Illinois!

🎤Speaker: Sam Alibrahim
Division Chief, Train Control and Communications Research
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)

📌Topic: Smart Connected Highway Grade Crossings for Enhanced Safety & Mobility

With over 30 years of experience in rail transportation, Sam Alibrahim brings expertise in advanced signaling, train control, and railroad communication systems.

This seminar will cover innovative research using cloud-based predictive analytics and Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything communications to improve safety, reduce delays, and support emergency responders. Sam will highlight cutting-edge FRA research that is shaping the future of transportation systems.

🔗 Register here:
https://railtec.illinois.edu/events/hay-seminar/

Event Information:
📅 Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
🕛 Time: 12:15 PM CT
📍 Location: Yeh Student Center, Room 2311 Newmark Lab
💻 Virtual Option: Zoom Webinar
🍕 In-Person Attendees
• Lunch available at 11:45 AM
• Seminar begins at 12:15 PM

This event is open to the public. Students, faculty, industry professionals, and community members are encouraged to attend.

09/18/2026

Join us today for the William W. Hay Railroad Engineering Seminar "Modelling of Particulate Matter Concentrations on Covered Rail Platforms" by Ulf Olofsson (KTH Royal Institute of Technology).

Register at https://railtec.illinois.edu/events/hay-seminar/

09/14/2026

Come see us at our booth (1816) at and get your train temporary tattoos or RailTEC stickers.

09/11/2026

The Sergio A. Pecori Faculty Scholar in Civil Engineering position is a prestigious endowed honorary title at Illinois within The Grainger College of Engineering. It is awarded to an outstanding faculty member, typically within the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering or closely tied to RailTEC. It is named after Sergio Pecori (Satch), a prominent Illinois alumnus (BS ’73, MS ’74) and the Chairman and CEO of Hanson Professional Services Inc., who is known for his philanthropic contributions, leadership in civil engineering, and support of RailTEC and CEE at Illinois. J. Riley Edwards, Ph.D, P.E. (George Krambles Director of RailTEC) was named the first recipient of this honor.

A special thank you to Satch Pecori, for his leadership, generosity, and commitment to engineering at it continues to shape the future of RailTEC and the University of Illinois.

Address

Newmark Civil Engineering Laboratory, 205 North Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL
61801

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Website

http://railtec.illinois.edu/

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