Created in 2005 by Purdue Student Government and the Purdue Alumni Association, Crossing the Tracks serves as both an induction for incoming freshmen and a farewell to graduating seniors. The tradition is held at Rush Crossing, a 52-foot-long replica of the old Purdue railroad tracks located in Centennial Mall between Stanley Coulter Hall and Wetherill Laboratory of Chemistry; the railroad ran near the area prior to 1953. Jim Rush (ME’42) and Janet (Glatz) Rush (S’43) provided the leadership gift for the tracks.

By crossing the tracks to the south, a student signifies the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Purdue. Incoming freshmen ceremoniously cross the tracks each fall during Boiler Gold Rush. Following commencement, crossing the tracks to the north symbolizes entry into a world of unlimited opportunity made possible by a Purdue education.