Railway Technologies Laboratory

The Railway Technology Laboratory (RTL), part of the Center for Vehicle Systems and Safety (CVeSS) at Virginia Tech, was established in 2004 as an Association of American Railroads (AAR) affiliated laboratory. Prior to 2004, rail dynamics activities were performed at Virginia Tech in the Advanced Vehicle Dynamics Laboratory (AVDL). Dr. Ahmadian, J. B. Jones Chair of Mechanical Engineering, is the founding director of RTL. Currently, RTL is a member of the consortium (called “RailTEAM”) of Virginia Tech, UNLV, and U. of Delaware, which is the only DOT University Transportation Center (DOT-UTC) in rail transportation.

Mission

To explore technologies that will enable the railroads and their suppliers to become more efficient and competitive in their day-to-day operations.
Create a productive environment for educating both graduate and undergraduate students to better serve their future employers
Conduct state-of-the-art scientific and experimental research in railroad and rail vehicles