For undergrad, international railroad internship connects people and cultures

In the United States, a massive freight network conveys goods from place to place.

But people? Not so much.

Compared with countries such as China, Spain, France, Germany and Japan, the United States lags in implementing high-speed rail to shuttle passengers from point A to point B. Japan’s Shinkansen—its network of high-speed bullet trains and rail lines—in particular is among the world’s most enviable, efficient and technologically advanced railways.

That’s one reason Kyle East chose to spend two weeks in early-August 2025 as an international intern with the Central Japan Railway Company. “The company provides world-class intercity passenger rail service,” says East, a fifth-year civil engineering undergraduate. “One of my professional goals is to help improve passenger rail service in the United States, and this opportunity was perfect for me to observe their operations firsthand and build upon my network of high-speed rail professionals.”

During the intensive internship, East traveled to various depots throughout Japan to observe rail and non-rail business operations and participate in departmental discussions, including a final presentation about one of the company’s main business improvement initiatives. “We spent a lot of time on foot or on the train,” he says. “I learned how amazing it feels to travel between regional cities at 171 mph on the ground—something most Americans will never experience.”

East’s civil engineering education and focus on construction and transportation at UW-Madison prepared him to expand his knowledge of how high-speed rail functions effectively in Japan. “I understood much of how their system operated, and asked many questions following the presentations and tours,” he says. “I could see and feel immediately how the fundamental design controls of the Shinkansen make it so reliable, fast and safe.”

While in Japan, he and other interns participated in a meeting with Anna Wang, a principal officer with the U.S. Consulate in Nagoya and an expert in economic, environmental and political issues. Coordinated by the Central Japan Railway Company, the meeting served as Wang’s introduction to the internship program, as well as to the interns themselves. “She was very interested in our cause to improve passenger rail in the United States,” says East, who hopes to do engineering work for a passenger or freight rail company after he graduates.

Not surprisingly, he explored Japan in his free time on foot and by using public transit. He visited many historic temples and castles, tried all sorts of Japanese food, and shopped in the bustling areas of Tokyo, Kyoto and Nagoya. He also went to Hiroshima for a day: “To see the place where the world forever changed with the first atomic bomb attack,” he says. “That I felt was important.”

Though he lived and worked in Japan for only a short time, its people and culture made a deep impression on East. “There are many things I wish we could absorb from their culture into ours,” he says.

At UW-Madison, he is a member of the Wisconsin High Speed Transportation Group, a student organization where he learned about the internship program from fellow members who’d participated in the past. Their endorsement cemented his decision to apply—and encourages other students to take advantage of similar opportunities.

“The time is now to have the best international trips of your life, especially since these opportunities are only open to students—which you won’t be for much longer,” says East. “You will learn how national cultures play into the company culture with its particular advantages and disadvantages, which helps you decide the industry or organizational type you see best fitting for your skills and personality. You will also build lasting connections overseas that will prove highly beneficial as you grow in your career.”

Top photo caption: Kyle East (top right) hopes to use his internship experience to improve passenger rail in the U.S. Submitted photo.