Fundamentals of Railroad Bridge Inspection

Introduction

• Purpose of class
• Safety
• Railroad employees vs. consultants/contractors

Inspector’s Responsibilities

• Removing a bridge from service
• FRA 214, 213/237
• Training requirements
• Written reports
• Know your abilities
• Know your limits
• Techniques, Tools and Equipment

Types of Inspections

• Periodic
• Detailed
• Emergency
• Inspections under load

Prior to Beginning the Inspection

• Obtaining railroads bridge inventory
• Obtaining previous inspection records
• Ranking system
• Operating practices
• Equipment
• Planning
• Creating a schedule

Inspection Process

• Site overview
• Tools and equipment
• Walk-throughs
• Photographic documentation
• Note taking
• Identifying components
• Measurements

Timber Bridges

• Nomenclature
• Backwalls/wingwalls
• Pilings, frames, caps, etc.
• Ballast decks
• Open decks

Concrete Bridges

• Nomenclature
• Stone/masonry substructures
• Backwalls/wingwalls
• Abutments, piers, pilings, caps
• Tubs, box girders, deck slabs, arches

Steel Bridges

• Nomenclature
• Stone/masonry substructures
• Backwalls/wingwalls
• H-piling and pipe piling
• Towers, column piers, caps, bracing
• Beam spans
• Deck plate girders, through plate girders
• Through truss spans

Moveable Bridges

• Nomenclature
• Swing, lift, and bascule spans
• Mechanical & electrical systems

Culverts

• Nomenclature
• Concrete, corrugated metal, smooth pipe, wood box, stone

Field Trip to Bridges for Hands-On Exercise (*This activity will NOT be available in the online version of the course.)

Report Writing

• Cover letter
• Conditions sheet
• Content and format
• Deck section, substructure section, superstructure section

Summary of recommendations

Registration Date/Time:
4/14/2026 9:00 am Central Time

Event Dates/Times*:

• 4/14/2026  9:00 am - 4:30 pm Central Time
• 4/15/2026  9:00 am - 4:30 pm Central Time
• 4/16/2026  9:00 am - 12:00 pm Central Time

• Instructors

  Peter Schierloh

  Senior Design Engineer

  Peter Schierloh, PE, is a seasoned railroad bridge engineer with over two decades of experience in the field. He currently serves as a Project Engineer at SW Bridge Engineers, LLC in DeForest, Wisconsin, a role he has held since the firm’s inception in 2007. Peter specializes in the inspection, design, and rating of railroad bridges across the United States. Prior to this, he worked with E80 Plus Constructors, LLC, managing railroad bridge construction projects. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1996. Peter is a licensed Professional Engineer in multiple states and actively contributes to the industry as a member of AREMA Committee 10.

  Richard (Rick) Floyd

  Senior Project Manager

  Richard Floyd, PE has spent the last 39 years in the railroad bridge industry. After receiving his degree in Civil Engineering from The University of Illinois, he spent 8 years in the Bridge Department of a Class 1 railroad where he was involved in all aspects of bridge inspection, design, engineering, repair, and inspection. For the last 31 years Rick has worked for Koppers Railroad Structures(previously Osmose Railroad Services) in several roles and is currently a Senior Project Manager. At Koppers he again has been involved in all aspects of bridge inspection, engineering, design, repair, and construction, with his vast majority of experience in the repair and rehabilitation of railroad bridges.

• Program Director

  Dave Peterson

You have the flexibility to attend this course either online or in-person in Madison. Online participants will join for the first two days, while in-person attendees will benefit from an additional field trip on the third morning to inspect three rail bridge structures for hands-on inspection training.

This course has two attendance options: face-to-face or online.

Face-to-face attendance fee includes morning and afternoon breaks, scheduled lunches, and course materials.

Online attendance fee includes online instruction and course materials.  Online attendees will access course sessions via the Zoom web conferencing platform. 

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.