Railway Engineering

Railway engineering is one of the oldest of the formal engineering disciplines, tracing its roots to the early 19th century and the birth of steam-power in Britain. This branch of engineering developed through the efforts of engineers and railroad companies to make railway systems safer, more reliable, more powerful, and more cost efficient. Railway engineering has evolved into a diverse profession, requiring talents.
Historically, railway engineering was strictly a mechanical engineering discipline, encompassing pressure vessel design, purely mechanical vehicle components, and hand-powered switches. However, railway engineering has become more reliant on electronic systems, specifically control and communications. As an example of this interdependence, the Rail Transportation Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) hold a joint conference each year to discuss advances in railroad-related research, development, and testing.
There are several professional societies who cater to engineers in the railroad industry. Both ASME and IEEE provide support to the railway engineering discipline as a whole, but other societies exist to support specific areas within the profession. The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA) focuses on track-related issues. The American Public Transit Association (APTA) is concerned with passenger rail systems.
There are also many smaller regional and union organizations with an eye on railway engineering issues. Railroad systems are complex, and require a wide variety of engineers to create safe and efficient systems. Rail systems are among the safest and most cost-efficient methods to move people and goods, and it takes a variety of engineers to keep the trains moving.