Course Title: Rail & Transport Engineering

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Rail & Transport Engineering

Credit Points: 12.00

Important Information:

Please note: This course has been removed from the Master of Engineering (Civil Engineering) (MC-257) program since 2016.  



Course Coordinator: Dr Yufei Wu

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2493

Course Coordinator Email: yufei.wu@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 10.13.15

Course Coordinator Availability: To be advised


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

Rail transport engineering is a multi-faceted discipline dealing with the operation of all types of railway systems. It draws on a wide range of engineering disciplines, including civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer engineering. You will gain advanced knowledge of rail signaling and timetabling and associated common problems and issues. This course is suitable for all engineers employed in the rail industry and will advance relevant knowledge, skills and professional practice.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to development of the following program learning outcomes for MC257 Master of Engineering (Civil Engineering):

  1. Needs, Context and Systems
  • Describe, investigate and analyse complex engineering systems and associated issues.
  • Identify and assess risks (including OH&S) as well as the economic, social and environmental impacts of engineering activities.
  1. Problem Solving and Design
  • Develop creative and innovative solutions to engineering problems.
  • Anticipate the consequences of intended action or inaction and understand how the consequences are managed collectively by your organisation, project or team.
  1. Analysis
  • Comprehend and apply advanced theory-based understanding of engineering fundamentals and specialist bodies of knowledge in the selected discipline area to predict the effect of engineering activities.
  • Apply underpinning natural, physical and engineering sciences, mathematics, statistics, computer and information sciences.


On completion of this course, students should be able to:

  1. Critically review key operational principles of a variety of rail transport control systems.
  2. Identify fundamental and more complex systems inherent in rail transport timetabling, predict potential problems and recommend solutions that take into account a variety of stakeholders.
  3. Investigate various systems for railway signaling and control and evaluate their influence on railway safety.
  4. Integrate knowledge related to the fundamentals of high speed rails, high speed rail advanced technologies and high speed rail management in order to justify the adoption of high speed systems over less sophisticated systems.


Overview of Learning Activities

The course activities are structured around lectures and tutorials to develop and consolidate your knowledge. Through assignments, presentations and online case studies you will apply and enhance both your theoretical and practical skills.

Total study hours: 

Staff directed time (including laboratory work) 48 hrs

Self-directed research and study 48 hrs


Overview of Learning Resources

In this course you will interrogate contemporary and emerging literature with local, national and global relevance in order to inform your specialist knowledge and skills in the area of rail transport engineering. Course-related resources will be provided on Blackboard, which is accessed through myRMIT. This includes lecture and tutorial material, case studies, supplementary course notes, problem sets and solutions, assignments, practice exams and references.

Support can also be found at RMIT Library Guides: http://rmit.libguides.com/civileng.


Overview of Assessment

☒This course has no hurdle requirements.

Assessment Task 1 [20%]: Assignment (Group),

This assessment task supports rail transport (CLOs 1 and 4).

Assessment Task 2 [40%]: Major assignment (Group),

This assessment task supports railway engineering and rail operation (CLOs 2 and 3).

End of Semester Exam [40%]

(CLOs 1-4)