Railroad Transportation Engineering (RTE)

Supervised student activities on research projects identified on an individual or small-group basis.

This course explores the relationship between railroads and customers, competitors, and the political, regulatory, and economic environment.

Principles of railroad track location, alignment, elements and safety regulations.

Basics of rail operations, including the role of terminals and safety principles.

Principles of the separation of trains, including signals, interlocking, and communications.

Practicum (lectures, supervised field work, laboratories) exploring practical problems in rail operations and safety.

Practicum (lectures, labs, supervised field experiences) exploring the construction and repair of track.

Practicum (lectures, labs, supervised field experiences) examining the repair of locomotives and cars.

Capstone project to integrate course knowledge in a team-based project.

Supervised off-campus, nongroup instruction including field experiences, practica, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.

Creative projects, including research and design, that are supervised on an individual basis and that fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given infrequently to explore, in depth, a comparatively narrow subject that may be topical or of special interest.