The second annual meeting for the National University Rail Center of Excellence (NURail CoE) was held on Tuesday 12 August 2025 at the University of Notre Dame. Attendees took the time to review accomplishments from year one, receive an update from each of the CoE Principal Investigators including highlights from the prior year and plans for next year, listen to student poster rehearsals, finalize plans for the AREMA conference and discuss a funding reauthorization update. Approximately 30 members attended the meeting either in person or remotely.
The NURail CoE annual meeting was held in conjunction with the Midwest Rail Conference (MRC) which was held on 12-14 August 2025. The theme of the conference was “Railroads 200 Years – Learning from the Past, Shaping the Future”. Wednesday 13 August 2025 consisted of a full day of educational and breakout sessions while Thursday was reserved for field visits including Elkhart Yard and Shipper visits, South Bend Grade Separations and Airport Passenger Rail Station Relocation.
MRC brought together industry leaders, advocacy groups, academia and state organizations to discuss key issues shaping the region’s extensive rail network. Covering freight and passenger rail across states like Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin, the conference explored a diverse range of topics, mixing speakers across stakeholder groups.
