Rail Transportation Program

The FRA Sponsored Tracks to the Future - Railroad Transportation and Engineering Summer Youth Program - 2024

We expect registration for our 2024 program to open early in the year.  For 2024 we will feature an additional four universities, bringing our total to 10.  We expect to host 200 students this year!  Dates in the Event Dates will be updated when we have the schedule sorted out.

Although registration is closed for 2023 you can put your name on our early notification list for Tracks to the Future 2024.  We expect to open registration early in 2024, and will give students on this list an advance opportunity to register before the crowd!  CLICK HERE to add your name, a good email address to contact you, and the grade you will be in during the fall of 2024.  The program will be open to students who will be in grades 9-12  during the fall of 2024.

The flyer below is from 2023, and will be updated as we get close to opening the program registration. 

Copy of Flyer

 Tracks to the Future 2024 will take place in June and/or July of 2024.  Come back here near the start of the year for updated information.

Program Overview

Railroads, the high tech and environmentally sensitive transportation mode!  Don’t believe us?  Come and learn why railroads remain the most energy-efficient transportation mode and what forms modern railroad track, equipment, and communications/control systems might take.  Learn how rail compares with other modes and leads the charge in reducing transportation greenhouse gas emissions!  Find out how it all works: classroom/virtual sessions, hands-on activities, and plenty of field visits to all sorts of railroad facilities!  

This hybrid program will start with two days of virtual instruction on Monday and Tuesday featuring hands on activities (we will send each participant a package of materials to use!), group virtual instruction and activities, and online activities.  Wednesday will be a travel day and the session will continue on Thursday and Friday at one of our University locations.  We will run two sessions this summer and will include TEN Universites, the six universities from 2023 plus four more locations to be determined:

The university programs will feature hands-on activities and rail industry field trips. Lodging is provided for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday on the campus of the selected university  This program is covered by an FRA Grant, which includes all program materials, plus lodging and meals for the on-site portion.  Students will be responsible for travel to the assigned university location.  The application process will ask each participant to rank their preference for the two sessions and six available sites.  Participant preference and home location will both be considered when assigning the on-site location.  Go HERE for instructions on how to apply for the program.  You will be asked later to submit some supporting documents to complete your scholarship application.  After participant selection and placement to one of the two sessions and six university locations takes place in mid April you will be notified and will need to complete a suplemental registration package for the assigned university location.  Again, start your registration HERE!   Problems with registration?  Contact our program staff at rail@mtu.edu

Click HERE to see results from our previous years!