A stand-alone module of our established and highly respected Railway Management Certificate Program, this five-day program in Indianapolis, IN and Chicago, IL, covers the strategy and management of railway operations for both freight and passenger railways. We combine classroom presentation of concepts with discussions led by rail industry subject matter experts, with site visits to see these topics in context. Railway Operations brings together many aspects of the complex railway ecosystem.
Register and Schedule Details
- 2026 Railway Operations
Cost: $5,500Description: Includes instructional materials and site visits, faculty and staff support, overnight hotel rooms, daily breakfast and lunch. Transportation to and from the program, and dinner most nights are not included.Schedule: November 2-5, 2026 | Monday-Thursday | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | In Person
November 6, 2026 | Friday | 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m. | In Person.Notes:Contact Val Kucherenko via email at kucheren@msu.edu or the Center for Railway Research and Education at crre@broad.msu.edu if you have any questions.
PPE required for all site visits - see your personalized logistics letter for each module.
- 2027 Railway Operations
Cost: $5,750Description: Includes instructional materials and site visits, faculty and staff support, overnight hotel rooms, daily breakfast and lunch. Transportation to and from the program, and dinner most nights are not included.Schedule: November 1-4, 2027 | Monday-Thursday | 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | In Person
November 5, 2027 | Friday | 8 a.m.-11:30 a.m. | In Person.Notes:Contact Val Kucherenko via email at kucheren@msu.edu or the Center for Railway Research and Education at crre@broad.msu.edu if you have any questions.
PPE required for all site visits - see your personalized logistics letter for each module.
- 2027 Railway Operations
Outline
MONDAY
On Site with Passenger Car Maintenance Organization
TUESDAY
On Site with Locomotive Manufacturer
WEDNESDAY
CREATE and CTCO Visit
THURSDAY
Chicago Operations Models, Capacity, Leasing and Decision-Making
FRIDAY
Analyst Viewpoint and Summary
Schedule and content are subject to change. For a copy of the latest schedule please email: kucheren@msu.edu
SITE VISIT INFORMATION
Indianapolis, IN: Exploration of passenger railway maintenance facilities, alongside locomotive maintenance and manufacturing
Chicago, IL: Overview of the CREATE Project, highlighting passenger and commuter rail systems, hump yard operations, control center and engagements with industry suppliers (subject to availability)
Faculty and Speakers
VAL KUCHERENKO, FACULTY LEADER
is the Director Railway Education, Center for Railway Research and Education (MSU/CRRE). Before joining the CRRE team, Val built a career in supply chain management with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway (CPKC), C.H. Robinson Global Forwarding, and Maersk Line, spanning roles across Europe, the United States, and Canada.
RON BATORY, CHAIR IN RAILWAY MANAGEMENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
is a seasoned railroad industry professional with over 52 years of experience, including leadership roles at Class I railroads and as President of The Belt Railway Company of Chicago. He later became the 14th Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, following a distinguished career in both private and public sectors.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY FACULTY
from the #1 ranked University for both graduate and undergraduate Supply Chain Management programs for many years (US News & World Report).
SELECT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
will join for guest lectures and presentations.
TRIBUTE TO NICK LITTLE, FORMER FACULTY LEADER
This program builds on the groundwork established by Nicholas (Nick) Little, former Director of Railway Education, whose efforts and leadership have greatly contributed to its current form. Nick's commitment to excellence in education continues to inspire our work each and every day.
Key Learning Objectives
By the end of the program, participants will have:
- A better understanding of the importance of Chicago’s complex rail network and how traffic flow is managed
- Learned about different operating models and practices, for dedicated and mixed traffic applications
- Examined dispatch/control centers and communications
- Visited passenger and freight operating venues in Chicago, IL and Indianapolis, IN
- Understanding of major freight customer requirements and operations integration
- Learned about locomotive and railcar availability, maintenance, and design implications for managers
- Improved understanding of lease vs. buy options
- Learned how better decision-making improves performance
- Heard first-hand from a Wall Street analyst about the current state of the freight rail industry
Who Should Attend
- Railroad superintendents, trainmasters, and middle managers from transportation and support functions with capacity to perform at higher levels
- Managers/leaders with limited railroad industry education requiring learning opportunities beyond their experience
- Shippers and suppliers needing to learn about the business of railroading to build better relationships to improve performance, communication and understanding
- Staff of rail agencies, regulators, policy bodies, and state/local government
- Railroad company new hires and interns
Additional Information
Program Fee includes instructional materials and site visits, faculty and staff support, overnight hotel rooms, daily breakfast and lunch. Transportation to and from the program, and dinner most nights are not included.
Discounts are also available for multiple participants from the same company.
To utilize the best in adult learning practices, class size will be limited to thirty-five participants.
This program will comply with COVID-19 MSU requirements pertaining at the time.
Cancellation within 15 days of the program start date will be limited to emergency situations and may result in a 10 percent cancellation fee. Participant substitutions are welcome at any time prior to the start of the program. If a registered participant does not attend and does not notify us in advance, they will be charged the full fee.
For more information, please visit www.raileducation.com or contact the Program Director, Val Kucherenko by phone +1 517 353-5667 or email kucheren@msu.edu.