Illinois Tech Club Expands
The original Illinois Tech
Model Railroad Club, founded in 1948, built and operated a layout in the attic of the campus’ historic Main Building until 2016. With support from faculty and alumni, the new Illinois Tech
Railroad Club was founded in 2018 to build a new model railroad as well as create career opportunities for students interested in the railroad industry.
With the help of the club, students are transformed into railroaders, landing careers with railroads, transit agencies, and engineering firms. As an official student chapter of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association, our club hosts weekly industry speaker events, as well as sending students off to conferences and railroad site visits across the country. However, what makes us unique from other university chapters is that we use the design, construction, and operation of a model railroad to practice railroad engineering concepts learned in the classroom.