What does a railway engineer do?
Railway engineers are responsible for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of railway infrastructure. This includes track systems, signalling, overhead line equipment (OLE), and supporting civil structures. Working on projects across passenger and freight networks, rail engineers ensure that systems operate safely, efficiently, and in compliance with industry standards such as Network Rail’s GRIP and PACE processes.
Working alongside rail or civil engineers, but responsible for the mechanical, electrical and public health aspects of complex rail projects, are MEP engineers.
They often collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including planners, surveyors, and project managers. Roles can be site-based or design-focused and often involve shift work and weekend schedules due to the operational nature of the rail network. An understanding of health and safety legislation and technical standards such as NR/L2 and BS EN norms is essential.
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