Rail training for the future
All aspects of the railway operations system are interconnected, from tracks and signals to cars and locomotives to operations and control. The performance of one relies on the performance of the other. System performance relies on the performance of the workers.
Canada's railway faces many exciting challenges today, and SAIT is working alongside the industry to meet those challenges. There is a demand in the railway industry for a workforce that can master new technologies and skills and adapt to structural change. Individuals who plan to make a career on the railway as professional railroaders are crucial to the industry's success.
Our facilities
Centre for Rail Training and Technology
First opened in 1999 at the Buck Crump Campus, the Centre for Rail Training and Technology moved to SAIT’s new Point Trotter campus in 2022.
The centre offers modern, state-of-the-art facilities, including:
- a single lab
- track and switch set-ups
- a mini rail yard with train carts.
Since its move, the centre has upgraded its tech, allowing you to learn on the most up-to-date equipment. In the yard, which is shared with cranes and ironworker structures, you’ll learn about:
- yard safety in an active environment
- the mechanical components of rail cars, air brake systems and communication systems
- moving, marshalling and switching rail cars
- Canadian Railway Operating Rules, safety systems and operating procedures.
The experiences you have in the classrooms and facilities will capture the essence of what you’ll find on-the-job.
Our programs
Parts/Materials Technician apprenticeship
Journeyperson 
Not open to international applicants 
3 periods
Prepare for a career as a parts technician by learning to manage and disperse automotive, heavy-duty, industrial, after-market, plumbing and electrical parts.
Railway Conductor
Certificate Not open to international applicants 12 weeks
Train to become a railway conductor and be responsible for moving, marshalling, and switching rail cars with hands-on courses that cover operating procedures, handling dangerous goods, and railway safety.
Main Office
Transportation
Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.
SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.
We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.