NURail CoE was a Presenting Sponsor at the Principles of Wheel/Rail Interaction course which preceded the 2025 Wheel Rail Interaction (WRI) Heavy Haul (HH) conference on 10-12 June in Kansas City, MO. J. Riley Edwards, NURail CoE consortium member from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, presented a session on “Track Structures and Components” during the course. This course was an intensive, full-day class providing an in-depth examination of the primary aspects of wheel/rail and vehicle/track interactions.
During the heavy haul portion of the conference, C. Tyler Dick, consortium member from the University of Texas at Austin, presented a session on the “Future of Heavy Haul Railways at the Nexus of Train Control, Energy and Automation”.
Also, a NURail CoE booth was set up in the exhibit hall where members manning the booth could educate conference attendees about NURail CoE and its mission.
The WRI HH conference is specifically tailored for the heavy haul (freight) sector, focusing on the unique challenges and advancements in the railroad industry. It is devoted to examining wheel/rail and vehicle/track interaction on light rail and subway operations. Since 1994, Wheel Rail Seminars (WRS) has produced WRI and over many years the conference has become synonymous with high quality, practical presentations and the very best in networking.
WRI HH 2026 will be in Dallas, TX on 22-24 April 2026.