Program: RailCamp
RailCamp
The dates for RailCamp 2025 are as follows:
RailCamp East: June 22 – June 28, 2025. It will be headquartered at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE.
RailCamp Northwest: June 22 – June 28, 2025. It will be headquartered at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA.
The application period is closed and those who have submitted applications this year have been notified.
Note: If you did not get into this year’s program, the 2026 application will be posted on January 1, 2026. To better your chances of being accepted, follow all of the instructions, complete the application and essay, then submit via email early. There is strong competition for the spots and the earliest applications in a tie will win.
About RailCamp
RailCamp is an educational experience for high school students who have an interest in railroads and railroading. The program is designed to teach students about 21st century railroad operations, dispatching, and maintenance while providing a simultaneous experience in the early history of U.S. railroads in the development and settlement of our country. Students will learn both modern and historic elements of America’s most vital transportation mode, including how diesel, electric, and steam locomotives function, how track is built and maintained and how early freight and passenger cars were constructed.
With a focus on the ways in which revolutionary technical changes in modern railroading affect today’s business, students will attend a week-long camp where they will participate in railroad operations, interact with railroaders, learn about preservation techniques, experience railroad history, witness career opportunities, and work with real railroad equipment. Camp opportunities are offered in both Newark, DE and Tacoma, WA during the summer months.
RailCamp East has a heavy focus on Amtrak with visits to their training facilities and the Consolidated National Operations Center. Days will be spent in Strasburg, PA with visits to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and the Strasburg Rail Road. RailCamp Northwest includes a trip to Seattle for a day. Other activities include the Northwest Railway Museum and an Amtrak trip to Portland to visit the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.
Applying to RailCamp
The application period for the 2025 RailCamps is closed. The application form for the 2026 RailCamps will be posted on January 1, 2026.
The program is open to high school boys and girls who are currently freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors (class of 2025).
The cost for attending either camp location in 2025 is $1,575.00. No camper has ever been turned away because of his/her ability to pay the tuition. Many NRHS chapters and other sponsors have provided scholarships and money is available from the RailCamp Fund. There is a financial assistance form included in the application. Using this form will not affect acceptance to the program. Transportation arrangements and expenses are the responsibility of the camper. Applicants do not have to be NRHS members to attend.
This year applications will be processed electronically. No written applications will be accepted. Read the questions carefully. Be sure to include your “statement”. The last three pages are releases for information. Copy these and give them to your references. Campers are not accepted until references have been contacted.