What Technical Training Consultants does

Technical Training Consultants, Inc. (TTC) is a privately-held, niche technical training company founded in 1988 and headquartered in Lisle, Illinois. The firm specializes exclusively in EMD (Electro-Motive Division of General Motors) diesel locomotive and electrical control systems, delivering curriculum spanning the 40, 50, 60, 70/75, and Dash 2 series, plus marine and stationary engine variants. TTC serves Class I railroads, regional and short line operators, transit authorities, marine operators, and industrial stationary-engine customers, with named enterprise clients including CN/IC, Union Pacific, BNSF, Irish Rail, MBTA, Inland Detroit Diesel Allison, Marine Systems, S&S, and EMD itself.

TTC's product portfolio combines instructor-led on-site training (minimum 12 students per cohort, custom curriculum available), self-paced home study courses delivered through the third-party DigitalChalk platform ($399 each), MS DOS-based proprietary troubleshooting software (Dash 2 and 60 Series Display Simulation), physical training aids (posters, troubleshooting cards, DVDs), and a published EMD Turbocharger training manual. The company also publishes the Lil Obie children's book series by founder William Trombello, a former EMD Senior Instructor. Since founding, TTC has trained more than 6,000 students nationally.

The business operates primarily through direct enterprise sales (phone-based, with travel-scheduled on-site delivery) and a small self-serve online channel. Pricing for on-site training is custom-quoted per engagement; consumer course pricing is fixed at $399 per DigitalChalk course, with training aids priced individually. The company has no disclosed external funding, no parent organization, and no identified AI/ML capabilities; its technology footprint reflects a founder-led services business with a long-tenured content library.

Name

Technical Training Consultants

Legal name

Technical Training Consultants, Inc.

Website

https://ttc-train.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Technical Training Consultants is a private Lisle, Illinois-based training firm founded in 1988 that specializes exclusively in EMD diesel locomotive and electrical control systems instruction for railroads, marine operators, and industrial engine users.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Diesel Locomotive Technical Training Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Powertrain, Drivetrain & Transmission Specialist Training (EDAOAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Automotive Diagnostics & Electrical Systems (EDAOAEAB)

Keywords

• Diesel locomotive training
• EMD engine training
• Railroad maintenance courses
• Marine engine training
• Troubleshooting training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. In-Person Training Courses: On-site instructor-led training at customer facilities or TTC's location for groups of 12+ students. Custom course development available.
2. Home Study Courses: Online self-paced courses available at digitalchalk.com covering EMD engines, Dash 2, 60 Series, 70 Series, and Switcher electrical systems. Includes student guide, videos, posters, and troubleshooting materials.
3. Training Materials (DVDs): DVD courses on Diesel Engine Checks and Adjustments, 60 Series Electrical Troubleshooting, and Troubleshooting Turbos sold individually.
4. Training Posters: Color posters covering EMD systems including Main Bearing Inspection, Crankcase Pressure, Lube Oil System, Air Box Inspection, and various series electrical controls.
5. Troubleshooting Cards: 20-card packages per subject covering various EMD locomotive series and systems for field reference.
6. Children's Books: Award-winning children's picture books about trains and locomotives by William Trombello, available at online bookstores.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Technical Training Consultants (TTC) provides specialized training services for EMD (Electro-Motive Division) diesel engines and electrical control systems used in locomotives, marine vessels, and stationary applications. The company delivers instructor-led on-site training to enterprise customers (minimum 12 students), self-paced online home study courses via DigitalChalk, and sells supporting training materials including DVDs, troubleshooting posters, reference cards, and proprietary MS DOS-based troubleshooting software.

Product overview

Technical Training Consultants (TTC) offers a portfolio of diesel locomotive training products consisting of in-person instructor-led courses covering EMD (Electro-Motive Division of General Motors) diesel engines and electrical control systems, online home study programs delivered through DigitalChalk (EMD Engine, Dash 2 Electrical, 60 Series Electrical, 70 Series Electrical, and Switcher Electrical), and MS DOS-based troubleshooting software titles (Dash 2 Troubleshooter and Trainer, 60 Series Display Simulation Troubleshooter and Trainer). Supporting materials include DVDs, troubleshooting poster series, troubleshooting cards, and the EMD Turbocharger manual book. The company also publishes the Lil Obie award-winning children's book series about trains. Training is available at TTC's Illinois facility or on-site at customer locations with a minimum of 12 students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EMD In-Person Training Courses

Quantifiable outcome

• Trained over 6,000 students since 1988
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Progress Rail Services: Progress Rail is the Caterpillar subsidiary that acquired EMD (Electro-Motive Division) and is the OEM of TTC's core training subject matter. It offers EMD-specific locomotive services and training directly to railroad customers, making it the closest direct competitor for OEM-aligned diesel training.
• Lincoln Tech: Lincoln Educational Services operates Lincoln Tech, a multi-campus vocational training network with automotive and diesel technology programs. Like TTC, it sells career-track and corporate training in the diesel maintenance field.
• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): UTI is a publicly traded vocational school system offering heavy-duty truck and diesel technology programs across multiple U.S. campuses. It competes with TTC for diesel technician career-track students and corporate training dollars in the diesel/industrial vertical.
• WyoTech: WyoTech is a specialized trade school focused on diesel technology, automotive, and collision/refinishing. Its concentrated diesel curriculum directly mirrors TTC's heavy-duty diesel specialization.
• MxV Rail (formerly TTCI / AAR Transportation Technology Center): MxV Rail is the AAR-affiliated research and testing organization serving the North American rail industry. It conducts locomotive testing, research, and workforce training, positioning it as a competitor for advanced rail technical training contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Caterpillar: Caterpillar operates large-scale customer training programs for diesel engines used in construction, mining, and power generation equipment. It overlaps with TTC in the heavy diesel training market and benefits from a much larger brand and dealer network.
• Komatsu: Komatsu is a global heavy equipment manufacturer with structured customer training programs for diesel-powered construction and mining machinery. It competes for industrial diesel training budgets adjacent to TTC's heavy equipment engine curriculum.
• Wabtec: Wabtec is a large public rail equipment and services company (formed via GE Transportation merger) that provides locomotive modernization, parts, and services including training. It competes indirectly through OEM-tied service offerings across the rail industry.

Emerging players

• Penn Foster: Penn Foster is an online vocational and career training provider offering diesel technology and industrial programs via distance learning. It competes with TTC's DigitalChalk home study courses for individual self-paced learners.

Regional players

• Herzog Railroad Services: Herzog Technologies provides rail services including track maintenance, equipment, and related workforce training for Class I and short-line railroads in North America. It overlaps with TTC's enterprise training focus on the same buyer base but with a different service mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/technical-training-consultants-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Technical Training Consultants