Updated: CN Rail Transportation Center opens at Michigan Tech

Preparing to cut the ribbon for the recent opening of Michigan Tech's CN (Canadian National) Rail Transportation Center, are, from left, Pasi Lautala, director of Michigan Tech's Rail Transportation Program; student Laura Hess; Matthew Glynn, chief engineer for CN; and student John Hatch. Hess and Hatch are Rail Engineering Activities Club (REAC) officers. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HOUGHTON -- The CN (Canadian National) Rail Transportation Center held a grand opening on Feb. 16, 2010, with a ribbon cutting ceremony, speeches, refreshments and displays of rail activities in Dillman Hall on the Michigan Tech campus.

With a friendly handshake, David Reed, Michigan Tech vice-president of research, right, welcomes Matthew Glynn, CN chief engineer, during the opening of the CN Rail Transportation Center Feb. 16 in Dillman Hall.

CN, one of the largest railroads in North America, recently donated $250,000 to Michigan Technological University's Rail Transportation Program to create the CN Rail Transportation Education Center (CN RTEC).

Photos from REAC (Rail Engineering Activities Club) field trips are displayed during the grand opening of the CN Rail Transportation Center on Feb. 16.

"CN’s generous donation is a strong indication of their ongoing commitment to education and truly gives new identity to the rail transportation activities at Michigan Tech," said Pasi Lautala, director of Michigan Tech's Rail Transportation Program.

Update: Rail Transportation Program Announces Logo Competition

At the fifth annual Rail Night on Tuesday, Feb. 16, Director Pasi Lautala announced the kickoff of a competition to generate a new logo for the Rail Transportation Program. The competition is available to everyone. Ideas must be submitted by Monday, March 15, and the winning design will be unveiled at the Rail Engineering and Activities Club (REAC) meeting on Tuesday, April 6. Prizes will be given to the first- and second-place designers of $150 and $50. For guidelines and rules, see http://www.cee.mtu.edu/railroad/index.htm.

Rail Transportation Program to participate in Webinar Feb. 26

The Rail Transportation Program will participate in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Railroad Engineering Seminar, "Railway Energy Efficiency through Monitoring, Optimization and Innovation," by Clive Roberts, senior lecturer and director of research at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education at the University of Birmingham.

The presentation will be broadcast from UIUC via webinar from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26, in Michigan Tech's newly opened CN Rail Transportation Education Center in Dillman 315.

Anyone interested in learning more about the railroad industry is encouraged to participate. Light refreshments will be provided for the event. For more information, visit the UIUC website or contact Pasi Lautala at 487-3547 or ptlautal@mtu.edu.

Rail Transportation scholarships available

Over $10,000 in designated railroad scholarships are available for graduate or undergraduate students in any discipline with an interest in railroad transportation. Interested students are encouraged to apply for AREMA, CSX Transportation and UP Railroad scholarships.

CSX and UP applications must be received by Bill Sproule by Friday, March 5. AREMA scholarships must be received by AREMA by Friday, March 12. Only one AREMA application is necessary for all available AREMA scholarships.

Guidelines and applications can be downloaded online.