Alumni

Michigan Tech has decades long tradition of placing graduates to rail industry careers. Since Rail Transportation Program was established more than 100 Michigan Tech graduates have started their employment in the industry.RTP alumni work for various industry companies, including Class I and smaller freight railroads, passenger railroads, engineering consultants and rail contractors, manufacturers, and DOTS. Our alumni often participate by supporting our programming. Examples for how Alumni can continue to be involved in RTP programming: organizing on-site field trip visits, providing student research project ideas and involvement, providing scholarship support, giving presentations.

We welcome our alumni to keep in touch! Let us know what you are doing. Please fill the Alumni Feedback Form or send an email to rtp@mtu.edu. We can share your news!

RTP Alumni in Rail Industry

Project Manager - Public Projects, CSX Transportation
I had no knowledge of the rail industry at all when I graduated from Michigan Tech in 2007 (BS in Construction Management, AAS in Civil Engineering Technology). I began working for CSX Transportation in July of 2007 in the Design and Construction department as a Management Trainee. During the Management Trainee program, I spent time at CSX’s training facility in Atlanta, GA. I learned to drive a spike, stringline a curve, change a knuckle, throw a switch, and, most importantly, how to live the safety culture that surrounds CSX and the railroad industry.
Project Engineer, Quandel Consultants
Aaron graduated in December of 2014 and accepted a position with Quandel Consultants in Chicago, Illinois as a Project Engineer. At Quandel he has spent the majority last two years working on the ongoing corridor improvements of the Michigan Line for higher speed services of Amtrak between Chicago and Detroit. This work includes both the designs for improvement of track alignments and highway grade crossings to support train speeds of up to 110 mph.
Design Engineer, CSX Transportation
I graduated with an associate’s degree in Civil Engineering Technology in 2005 and a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management in 2007. I’m currently a Design Engineer in the Design and Construction department with CSX Transportation in Jacksonville, FL, but I started my railroad career with a CSX engineering internship the summer of 2006. I was hired as a full time manager in the Design and Construction department July of 2007. CSX attends both job fairs that are held at Michigan Tech. It was during one of the job fairs that I was recruited. The internship with CSX provided insight into the railroad industry and peeked interest in developing my knowledge in the field.
Sharma & Associates, Inc
Hamed Pouryousef graduated from Michigan Technological University (MTU) in spring 2015 with PhD in Civil Engineering focusing on train scheduling and capacity analysis areas using optimization and simulation models. While studying at MTU he contributed in several research projects under Dr. Pasi Lautala’s supervision including development of a web-based education and training platform for high speed rail workforce in the U.S., sponsored by FRA.
Supervisor of Quality Assurance- Signals and Communications Dept., CN
Matt is a 2012 graduate with a BS in Electrical Engineering Technology. He has worked full time for CN Railway since June 2012 as a Supervisor of Quality Assurance for the Signals and Communications Department. “In the summer of 2011 I was on an internship with CN in the Quality Assurance for the Signals and Communications Department. Before speaking with CN at the Career Fair, I had never really thought about working for a railroad, but after my internship I realized it was for me.
Mechanical Management, BNSF Railway
Michael graduated from Michigan Tech in December 2015 with a Mechanical Engineering degree. Michael developed an interest in the rail industry through the Railroad Engineering and Activities Club (REAC) where he had opportunities to tour numerous railroad facilities and intern at Rail Interchange. Upon graduation, Michael accepted a Mechanical Management Trainee position with BNSF Railway.
Assistant Manager of Methods and Research, UPRR
Tom graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 2008. He is currently the Assistant Manager of Methods and Research with Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha, Nebraska. Tom’s career with Union Pacific began with a co-op from June to December of 2006. He was hired as a full-time employee in August of 2008.
Assistant Operations Manager, Railworks Track Systems, Inc.
Ed Hausen is a 2012 graduate with a BS in Construction Management. He has worked as an Assistant Operations Manager with RailWorks Track Systems, Inc. since August of 2012. “My interest for the railroad industry began as a child; I grew up in Chicago, IL, one of the nation’s largest hub stations. I grew up near a rail yard and just always loved to see the trains come and go. Then while attending Michigan Tech the Rail Transportation Program and the REAC opened my eyes on what the railroad industry has to offer for jobs.
TTCI
During my four years of undergrad in Metallurgical Engineering at Jadavpur University in my hometown of Kolkata, India, I did an internship in a steel foundry where I worked on designing molds of locomotive wheels, side frames and bolsters of freight cars and worked in the metallurgy lab and steel melt shop. Then after my undergrad, I worked as a technical engineer in Vesuvius, India for two years before coming to Michigan Tech to pursue my MS and PhD. At Vesuvius, I worked on manufacturing of refractory used in continuous casting of steel.
The Andersons
My first involvement with the rail industry came as a summer internship with CSX Transportation in 2007. The experience got me interested in a rail career, so after my return to Michigan Tech, I tried to find a way to combine my two passions; railroads and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Fortunately, I was able to secure another internship with Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad (LS&I) in Negaunee, MI for the summer of 2008 and after getting some more experience through Dr. Lautala’s CE 5409 Track Engineering and Design course, LS&I hired me full time as their Civil Engineer in 2009.

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