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 Post subject: Colleges Offering Railroad Engineering Courses
PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 2015 10:53 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 11:34 pm
Posts: 270
Hello, I'm a high school student in my Junior year looking into the future regarding college choices. For a long time while I've always loved history I've been interested in taking a class dedicated to the understanding and operation of railroads. My Algebra scores aren't neccesarily the best around but I'm willing to work for it even if it means doubling down in my free hours. Many have informed me already of the engineering programs at UIUC, Penn State Altoona and UMD but do I have any other options available?


Last edited by Cameron Wolk on Sun Apr 09, 2023 10:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Colleges Offering Railroad Engineering Courses
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2015 9:05 pm 

Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:52 pm
Posts: 188
Location: Pittsburgh
See previous thread discussing this topic.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38099

/s/ Larry
Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.


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 Post subject: Re: Colleges Offering Railroad Engineering Courses
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:51 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2015 11:34 pm
Posts: 270
Larry Lovejoy wrote:
See previous thread discussing this topic.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=38099

/s/ Larry
Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.


Thanks Larry for the advice. May I ask if you personally have had any experience with any of the programs more so the one at Michigan Tech? I have seen advertisements about the course and it looks interesting but the campus location really seems to throw me off. Houghton may be too remote for me considering the fact that I reside in New York. Perhaps I'll look further into it.

Cameron


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 Post subject: Re: Colleges Offering Railroad Engineering Courses
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2015 2:29 pm 

Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:52 pm
Posts: 188
Location: Pittsburgh
Sorry, but I don't have any direct experience with any of those programs. There were no railway engineering curriculums a million years ago when I was an undergraduate, so I had to satisfy myself with choosing Villanova, a university whose campus was intersected by both the PRR's electrified four-track Main Line and Red Arrow's Norristown Line. There's still no formal railway engineering program there, but it was a great place and time to railfan.

However, back around 2000, I did an engineering feasibility study to extend the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad's operation up into downtown Cleveland, My liaison person at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park was Pasi Lautala, who is now the professor who leads the Michigan Tech program. If you elect to leave the comforts of home and stray up into Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I think you will find Pasi to be knowledgeable, thorough and energetic. I suggest you at least talk with him. Say hello for me.

/s/ Larry
Lawrence G. Lovejoy, P.E.


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 Post subject: Re: Colleges Offering Railroad Engineering Courses
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 8:38 pm 

Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 12:45 am
Posts: 1010
Cameron, if you do decide to major in engineering, make sure your program is accredited by ABET, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

I also highly recommend that you pick a college with a cooperative-education ("Co-op") program.


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 Post subject: Re: Colleges Offering Railroad Engineering Courses
PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:21 am 

Joined: Sat Aug 24, 2013 3:25 am
Posts: 78
Cameron, definitely look at UIUC. I personally know one of the instructors and have heard nothing but good things about the program. I would have enrolled in the program myself if I hadn't ended up in operations, first! haha

Jeron


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 Post subject: Re: Colleges Offering Railroad Engineering Courses
PostPosted: Thu Dec 24, 2015 12:44 am 

Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 10:45 pm
Posts: 300
One other idea is to ask various schools if railroads recruit from their engineering program. While few schools have a dedicated railroad engineering course, railroads often simply recruit from engineering programs as most engineering applies to almost all fields. That was how I did it many years ago.


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