Master’s in Track and Superstructure Engineering
Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in railway track and superstructure engineering. 12 modules covering the railway track, rail and welding, sleepers and fastenings, ballast and formation, slab track, switches and crossings, vehicle-track dynamics, geometry and inspection, track construction, maintenance and noise and vibration, with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this programme. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the structural behaviour of the railway track.
Select rail, sleepers, fastenings and ballast to suit the line.
Design formations, transitions and slab track.
Specify switches and crossings for different speeds.
Analyse vehicle-track dynamics and wear.
Interpret track inspection data and plan maintenance.
Mitigate railway noise and vibration.
Who it's for
- Track engineers.
- Railway infrastructure maintenance engineers.
- Switches and crossings specialists.
- Track inspection technicians.
- Railway construction engineers.
- Railway dynamics consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to move into the railway sector.
What you'll work with
- EN 13674-1 (railway rails: Vignole rails of 46 kg/m and above)
- EN 13230 (concrete sleepers and bearers)
- EN 13146 (test methods for fastening systems)
- EN 13450 (aggregates for railway ballast)
- EN 13848 (track geometry quality)
- EN 16432 (ballastless track systems)
- Regulation (EU) No 1299/2014 (INF TSI) (technical specification for interoperability: infrastructure)
- EN 14363 (testing and simulation for running characteristics of railway vehicles)
- Simpack
- Autodesk Civil 3D
- VAMPIRE
- Ansys Mechanical
- MATLAB
12 modules · 1900 h
1.1. Structural functions of the track1.2. Elements of ballasted track1.3. Types of slab track1.4. Track gauges and their history1.5. Loads transmitted by the train1.6. Wheel-rail interaction1.7. Vertical track stiffness1.8. Adif technical standards1.9. Service life of components1.10. Case study: comparison of ballasted and slab track
2.1. 54E1 and 60E1 rail profiles2.2. Rail steel grades2.3. Aluminothermic welding of rails2.4. Flash butt welding2.5. Continuous welded rail2.6. Thermal stresses and stress-free temperature2.7. Rail defects and rolling contact fatigue2.8. Ultrasonic inspection2.9. Preventive grinding and reprofiling2.10. Lab: stress-free temperature calculation for continuous welded rail
3.1. Monoblock concrete sleepers3.2. Timber and synthetic sleepers3.3. Dual-gauge sleepers for gauge changeover3.4. Elastic rail fastenings3.5. Rail pads and stiffness3.6. Electrical insulation of the fastening3.7. Overall elasticity of the track panel3.8. Testing of fastenings according to EN 131463.9. Selecting fastenings by line type3.10. Practical exercise: fastening selection for high-speed rail
4.1. Ballast requirements according to EN 134504.2. Grading and Los Angeles abrasion4.3. Ballast degradation and fouling4.4. Capping layer and sub-ballast4.5. Bearing capacity of the formation4.6. Formation stiffness4.7. Geosynthetics in railway formations4.8. Longitudinal formation drainage4.9. Transition wedges4.10. Workshop: sizing of trackbed layers
5.1. Slab track systems5.2. The Rheda 2000 system5.3. Track on elastic blocks5.4. Embedded rail for tramways5.5. Anti-vibration mass-spring systems5.6. Slab track in metro tunnels5.7. Structural design of the slab5.8. Construction and tolerances5.9. Maintenance and repairs5.10. Case study: slab track in a high-speed tunnel
6.1. Types of turnouts6.2. Geometry and speed on the diverging track6.3. Fixed and swing-nose crossings6.4. Switch rails and stock rails6.5. Point machines and heaters6.6. Crossovers and scissors crossovers6.7. Diamond crossings6.8. High-speed turnouts6.9. Maintenance of switches and crossings6.10. Lab: turnout geometry in Civil 3D
7.1. Vehicle-track dynamic models7.2. Wheel-rail contact mechanics7.3. Dynamic forces due to defects7.4. Bogie stability and hunting7.5. Nadal derailment criteria7.6. Wheel and rail wear7.7. Rail corrugation7.8. Multibody simulation with Simpack7.9. Effect of isolated defects7.10. Practical exercise: simulation of a weld defect
8.1. Track geometry parameters8.2. Geometric quality according to EN 138488.3. Track recording cars and dynamic measurement8.4. Alert and intervention limits8.5. Analysis of inspection data series8.6. Prediction of geometric degradation8.7. Manual track measurement8.8. Inspection using in-service vehicles8.9. Quality indicators by section8.10. Case study: prioritising tamping based on geometry
9.1. Track laying methods9.2. Heavy track machinery9.3. Laying of rails and sleepers9.4. On-site rail welding9.5. Dynamic track stabilisation9.6. Acceptance of new track9.7. Track renewal under traffic9.8. Track possessions and windows9.9. Logistics of track materials9.10. Workshop: track renewal plan during night possessions
10.1. Track maintenance strategies10.2. Tamping and levelling10.3. Ballast regulating10.4. Ballast cleaning and renewal10.5. Replacement of rails and sleepers10.6. Visual track inspection10.7. Condition-based track maintenance10.8. Life-cycle cost of the track10.9. Track maintenance management10.10. Lab: track life-cycle cost model
11.1. Railway rolling noise11.2. Ground-borne vibration11.3. Track-based mitigation measures11.4. Under-ballast elastomeric mats11.5. Railway noise barriers11.6. Vibration in urban metros11.7. Railway noise regulations11.8. Rail roughness measurement11.9. Simulation of vibration in buildings11.10. Case study: vibration mitigation beneath a hospital
12.1. Definition of the track section12.2. Operating requirements and loads12.3. Selection of the superstructure type12.4. Design of trackbed layers12.5. Design of switches and crossings12.6. Vehicle-track dynamic analysis12.7. Construction and logistics plan12.8. Maintenance plan and costs12.9. Master's Thesis report12.10. Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. You work with Simpack, Autodesk Civil 3D, VAMPIRE, Ansys Mechanical and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures: analysis of real track inspection data, vehicle-track dynamic simulation and track component testing procedures. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.
Standards covered: EN 13674-1, EN 13230, EN 13146, EN 13450, EN 13848, EN 16432, Regulation (EU) No 1299/2014 (INF TSI), EN 14363.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Simpack, Autodesk Civil 3D, VAMPIRE, Ansys Mechanical and MATLAB, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
A degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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