The AREMA Student Chapter at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receives funding from RailTEC, the school’s student organization board, and from professional societies, Class 1 railroads, and leading private companies in the rail industry. We thank our sponsors for their generous financial support through the years, as without it we cannot host some of our fun and knowledgable on-campus events and field trips.
If you are interested in providing financial support, speaking at a student chapter event, or hosting a field visit, please contact us at aremauiuc@gmail.com.
The following is a list of organizations who have provided financial support to the chapter over the last few years. Click on any of the sponsor headers to be directed to their website.
AREMA
AREMA is a professional association for railway engineering personnel that offers numerous educational opportunities and produces and publishes the recommended practices for railway engineering infrastructure including track, structures and communications & signals. Its mission is the development and advancement of both technical and practical knowledge of the industry and recommended practices pertaining to the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure. The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) was created by the October 1, 1997 merger of the American Railway Engineering Association (AREA, formed 1899) with the American Railway Bridge and Building Association (ARB&B), the Roadmaster’s and Maintenance of Way Association (RMWA), and the functions of the Communications and Signals Division of the Association of American Railroads.
BNSF Railway
Today’s BNSF Railway is the product of nearly 400 different railroad lines that merged or were acquired over the course of 160 years. While many different railroads combined to form BNSF, the people who worked at those railroads shared many traits. The people who built BNSF were — and continue to be — a unique breed, blending the forward-thinking of dreamers with the pragmatism of results-oriented business leaders. This heritage played a central role in settling and growing the American West, and today, BNSF continues to have a significant impact in meeting the needs of shippers and serving the economy.
Brightline
Brightline is a privately run passenger railroad operating trains at up to 125 mph in Florida, with plans for service at up to 186 mph between California and Las Vegas. Brightline brings European-style passenger rail to the US for distances that are too long to drive and too short to fly, with the goal of making travel stress-free and fun.
Canadian National Railway (CN)
CN is a true backbone of the economy whose team of approximately 24,000 railroaders transports more than C$250 billion worth of goods annually for a wide range of business sectors, ranging from resource products to manufactured products to consumer goods, across a rail network of approximately 20,000 route-miles spanning Canada and mid-America.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway (CPKC)
CPKC is the combination of two historic railways – Canadian Pacific (CP) and Kansas City Southern (KCS). Today, we are CPKC and have created the first and only transnational rail network in North America. Drawing on our strong foundations and heritage, CPKC moves essential goods across our 20,000-mile network to support economic growth throughout Canada, the U.S. and Mexico.
Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central)
Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central, also known as JR Tokai) commenced operations in April 1987 upon the privatization and breakup of the Japanese National Railways (JNR). The core of JR Central’s operations is the Tokaido Shinkansen, the main transportation artery linking Japan’s principal metropolitan areas of Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, and a network of conventional lines centered on the Nagoya and Shizuoka areas. JR Central and its consolidated subsidiaries also develop affiliated businesses that are expected to generate synergic effects with the railway business. JR Central is steadily moving forward with efforts aimed at the early completion of the Chuo Shinkansen using the Superconducting Maglev system.
Gannett Fleming Transystems
Gannett Fleming is a privately held AEC firm partnering closely with clients on some of the toughest challenges facing communities today—and into the future. Across North America and select global locations, they offer comprehensive infrastructure solutions to a wide range of markets, including transportation, life sciences, water resources, education, industrial, federal, power, and energy. Founded in 1915, they are the employer of choice for 3,000+ of the best and brightest in the industry.
Genesee & Wyoming (G&W)
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W) owns or leases more than 100 freight railroads throughout North America with 4,000 employees serving 2,000 customers over more than 13,000 track miles. G&W subsidiaries and joint ventures also provide rail service at more than 30 major ports, rail-ferry service between the U.S. Southeast and Mexico, transload services, and railcar switching and repair.
HDR
HDR is an employee-owned design firm specializing in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services. It is ranked No. 6 among the world’s design firms and it is the largest healthcare design firm. Led by the strength of our values and a culture shaped by employee ownership, we network with each other, build on each other’s contributions, and collaborate together to make great things possible.
Hanson
Hanson specializes in engineering, planning and a range of allied services. They’re an employee-owned, award-winning consulting firm with offices across the United States. Since 1954, clients have known them as a trusted partner, committed to their success and capable of handling challenging projects.
Olsson
An engineering firm of people who craft expert solutions and designs that improve communities.
Rail Transportation and Engineering Center (RailTEC)
For over a century the University of Illinois has been a leader in railway engineering research and education. We inspire and sustain students’ and faculty interest in rail engineering and transport offering a curriculum in rail engineering and transportation. Our research understands, develops, and communicates the critical issues in rail engineering to the rail community. The U of I has a distinguished record of accomplishment and remains highly respected by today’s railroad engineering community.
Stacy and Witbeck
Stacy and Witbeck offers a full range of construction and management services on complex rail and transportation projects. As an employee-owned company, Stacey and Witbeck’s assets are managed by those closest to the work – the highly trained, highly skilled, and resourceful members of the management and field staffs who continually demonstrate remarkable expertise in managing and constructing projects.
Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
Since 1889, the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis has played a vital role in the railroad operations and growth of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The Association was originally created to satisfy the need for an efficient, safe, and economical method of interchanging rail traffic at the railroad hub of St. Louis, Missouri: the “Gateway to the West.” Over 120 years later, the employees of the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis make the same commitment to efficiency, safety, and value to their customers, owners, and the public with each new day.
Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation. One of America’s most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. In the last 10 years, 2008-2017, Union Pacific invested approximately $34 billion in its network and operations to support America’s transportation infrastructure. The railroad’s diversified business mix is classified into its Agricultural Products, Energy, and Industrial and Premium business groups. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada’s rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.