Signal Maintainer Training

In addition to basic technical services, instrument repair, and inspection services, Signal and Communications Services offers several training courses designed to support the rail and transit industries. Subjects include highway grade crossing systems, emergency management, and communications systems training:

A detailed outline of our course material is as follows:

Part One: Basic Electrical Concepts for Signal and Communications Maintainers:

• Atoms and Electrons

• Conductors and Insulators

• Direct Current vs. Alternating Current

• The flow of electrons through a circuit (amps, milliamps)

• Electrical potential (voltage)

• Resistance and Impedance

• Power, watts, kilowatts, watt-hours, kilowatt-hours

• Basic electrical circuits

• Ohm’s Law Equations

• Amp-hours

• Basic scientific notation

• Basic conversions

• Series and parallel circuits

• Review of basic concepts.

• Written Exam

Part Two: Rectifiers and Batteries:

• Basic electrical service, 220 VAC, 120-VAC

• Electrical service panel configurations.

• Circuit breakers and fuses

• Fail-safe considerations

• Review: AC vs. DC

• The battery charger

• The battery-bank

• Switches, conductor size vs. current.

• Test links, B12 and N12 circuits.

• Battery maintenance and testing

• FRA required tests and measurements.

• The ground-test

• Field exercise activity and practicums.

• Written Exam

Part Three: Relays:

• What is a relay?

• Signal relays and the gravity principle.

• Fail-safe principle.

• Shelf relay architecture.

• B-relay architecture.

• Relay coil resistance and current.

• Pick-up, working, and drop-away current.

• Amps vs. milliamps and conversion exercises.

• The track relay and track circuit example.

• The neutral relay and application examples.

• Common relays.

• Relay testing and FRA part 234.263

• Beginner troubleshooting advice.

• The safety integrity concept and the weakest link.

• Overview vital principles in grade crossings.

• Field exercise activity and practicums.

• Written Exam

Part 4: Flashers, Bells and Gates:

• The flasher circuit.

• Flasher circuit technical requirements and maintenance.

• Applicable FRA Regulations part 234.217 and 234.221.

• The “undue delay” concept.

• Good maintenance practices

• Gate mechanism principles.

• Gate mechanism engineering drawing.

• S60 and WCH Model 10 gate mechanism architecture.

• Gate mechanism limit switches and contacts.

• Gate mechanism maintenance considerations.

• Gate operating standards FRA Regulations part 234.255 and 234.207

• Gate maintenance standards FRA Regulations part 234.223 and 234.219

• The bell and FRA part 234.257

• Lightning and surge suppression.

• The lightning arrestor.

• The equalizer.

• Inspecting arrestors and suppression devices.

• Surge panels and grounding techniques.

• Field exercise activity and practicums.

• Written Exam

Part 5: Physical security and general maintenance:

• Physical security apologia.

• Proper locking of signal houses and apparatus.

• Securing junction boxes and sub-assemblies.

• Securing narrow-band shunts, diodes, and track-side junction boxes.

• General maintenance practices.

• Examples of improper maintenance and damaged surge suppression equipment.

• Inexpert or dangerous repairs.

• Introduction to basic design principles of grade crossings.

• Engineering drawings legible and correct.

• Field exercise and practicums.

• Written Exam

Part 6: Train Detection Systems:

• The basic track circuit.

• Track circuit integrity and FRA Regulations 234.233 and 234.235

• Rail bonds

• The DC track circuit.

• Insulated joints.

• The AC-DC track circuit.

• Activation failures FRA Regulations 234.5 and 234.105

• The high frequency and AFO track circuit.

• The approach-island-approach configuration.

• Track relays, stick relays and stick-release timers.

• Some sample approach-island-approach track layouts.

• Troubleshooting an approach-island-approach system.

• Motion detectors and predictors.

• Detection methods, resonance, and circuit impedance.

• Narrow-band shunts vs. hard-wire shunts.

• Axle counting systems.

• Warning time vs. approach length.

• The activation failure and FRA Regulation 234.225.

• Field exercise activity and practicums

• Written Exam

Part 7: Relay and Cable Tests:

• Relay testing and FRA Regulation 234.263

• Preparing for relay testing; taking crossing out of service.

• Visual inspection of relay.

• Disconnecting relay from circuit and disarrangement.

• How relay testing works.

• Recording relay data including type, serial number, functional nomenclature, and signal

location.

• Recording measured and reference values.

• A simple relay testing circuit.

• The structure and termination of relay coils – shelf relay.

• Text of FRA Regulation 234.263

• B-relay configuration

• B-relay plug board structure.

• Examples of relay test devices.

• Class-room activity – testing relays.

• Cable (insulation) testing and FRA Regulation 234.267

• Exemptions from cable (insulation) testing.

• Leakage threshold values and corrective actions.

• Megger example.

• Cable testing circuit examples.

• Cable test procedures.

• Multi-pair cable testing.

• Diagnostic testing and troubleshooting.

• Vital axle counting system cable tests and troubleshooting.

• Classroom activity; checking megger with standard resistor, simulated fault, record

keeping.

• Field activity and practicums.

• Written Exam

FRA HGC-1: General Definitions:

• Learning objectives

• Brief history of crossing signals.

• Regulation 234.1 purpose and scope of regulations.

• Regulation 234.3 application of regulations.

• Highway grade crossing definition.

• Credible report definition.

• Activation failure definition.

• False activation definition.

• Partial activation definition.

• Warning system malfunction definition.

• Appropriately equipped flagger.

FRA HGC-2: Reports and Plans:

• Learning objectives

• Concept of regulator minimum.

• Regulation 234.7: Accidents involving crossing failure (225.5)

• Application of 225.5(b)(1)

• Regulation 234.9: Grade crossing system failure reports.

• FRA Regional Offices.

• FRA Activation Failure Report form.

FRA HGC-3: Warning System Malfunction at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings:

• Learning objectives.

• Concept of regulatory minimum.

• Summary of Part 234, Subpart C

• Regulation 234.101: Employee notification.

• Application of 234.101 and Example general order.

• Regulation 234.103: Timely response to report of malfunction and concept of “undue

delay.” Reference to 234.207

• Regulation 234.5: Definition of a “credible report” of malfunction.

• Regulations 234.105, 234.106, 234.107: Alternative means of warning.

• Compliance with part 234.103 during correction, dismantling, repair, or discontinuance

of highway grade crossing system.

• Regulation 234.105: Activation failure and prompt response.

• Regulation 234.105: Prompt notification of train crews and other railroads.

• Regulation 234.105: Control of vehicular traffic

• Regulation 234.105: Locomotive audible device.

• Regulation 234.105: “Stop and flag.”

• Regulation 234.106: Prompt response to partial activation report (reference 234.107)

• Partial activation examples.

• Regulation 234.107: Prompt response to false activation, correction, notification of train

crews.

• Regulation 234.107: Notification of law enforcement, employees train crews, alternative

warning required.

• Regulation 234.107: Stop and flag action matrix.

• Regulation 234.109: System malfunction record-keeping.

• Example of credible record.

FRA HGC-4: Maintenance, Inspection and Testing:

• Learning objectives.

• Concept of regulatory minimum.

• Regulation 234.201: Location of plans.

• Regulation 234.203: Control circuits and the fail-safe (vital) principle.

• Regulation 234.205: Operating characteristics and design parameters.

• Regulation 234.207: Repair or replacement of defective components without undue

delay.

• Regulation 234.209: Interference with normal functioning of signal system.

• Regulation 234.211: Physical security of signal apparatus.

• Regulation 234.213: Grounds on signal circuits.

• Regulation 234.215: Standby power.

• Regulation 234.217: Flasher condition and maintenance.

• Regulation 234.219: Gate arm lights and cables.

• Regulation 234.221: Lamp voltages.

• Regulation 234.223: Gate arms.

• Regulation 234.225: Highway grade crossing activation and minimum warning times.

• Regulation 234.227: Train detection apparatus and shunting sensitivity.

• Regulation 234.229: Shunting sensitivity.

• Regulation 234.231: Fouling wires.

• Regulation 234.233: Rail joints and bonds.

• Regulation 234.235: Insulated joints inspection and maintenance.

• Regulation 234.237: Reverse switch cut-out controller (switch circuit controller).

• Regulation 234.239: Wire tags (labels) and interference with signal equipment.

• Regulation 234.241: Protection of insulated wires.

• Regulation 234.243: Pole line and aerial cable.

• Regulation 234.245: Signs; condition and visibility.

• Regulation 234.257: Warning system proper operation and testing primary and standby

power.

• Regulation 234.259: Warning time and testing requirements.

• Regulation 234.261: Traffic light pre-emption.

• Regulation 234.263: Relay Testing.

• Regulation 234.265: Timing devices and mandated tolerance limits.

• Regulation 234.267: Insulation resistance tests (cable tests).

• Regulation 234.269: Cut-out circuits.

• Regulation 234.271: Insulated joints, bonds, and track connections.

• Regulation 234.273: Test results and record-keeping.

• Summary of testing schedule and review of forms and methods.

FRA HGC-5: Emergency Notification for Telephonic Reporting of Unsafe Conditions:

• Learning objectives.

• Concept of regulatory minimum.

• Railway safety improvement act.

• Regulation 234.217: Emergency notification system

• Regulation 234.301: Definitions.

• Regulation 234.303: Answering machines, reportable unsafe conditions required

actions.

• Regulation 234.305: Credible report vs. public report and required response actions.

• Regulation 234.306: Multiple dispatching railroads and defined point-of-contact.

• Regulation 234.306: Multiple maintaining railroads and primary responsible party.

• Regulation 234.306: Methods to receive calls.

• Regulation 234.307: Third-party answering service.

• Regulation 234.309: General sign requirements.

• Examples of compliant signs.

• Non-compliant signs.

• Regulation 234.311: Sign placement.

• Sign placement examples.

• Regulation 234.313: Recording-keeping and retention.

Review and discussion: FRA Highway Grade Crossing - Technical Manual.

Review and discussion: FRA Highway Grade Crossing - Compliance Manual

A copy of our FRA course approval letter is available upon request.

Signal and Communications Associates has extensive experience in RF systems engineering and telecommunications in both the common-carrier and railroad sectors. Currently under development is a complete course in communications and RF systems fundamentals course tailored for  railroad communications maintainers. This course will introduce signal and/or communications maintainers to concepts such as:

• Antenna and transmission line theory.
• RF propagation 
• Signal to noise ratio, bandwidth and signal distortion.
• Basic RF measurements.
• The fundamentals of two-way radio communications.
• Digital communications methods, both vital and non-vital.
• Trouble-shooting and maintenance methods pertaining to RF systems.
• Hard-wire communications networks including the fundamentals of data networks., telephone systems, etc.
• ....and more.

Our Emergency Preparedness Services division offers extensive experience in the field of emergency response. This short course, conducted by an instructor with over 25 years as a Certified Professional Emergency Manager, is offered to the rail industry to improve public safety while limiting rail carrier liability by providing the necessary understanding of the emergency management process. 

Railroad management must understand how the emergency response process functions. More importantly, it is essential that railroad management understands how best to interface with public-sector organizations to avoid various mistakes common to organizations unfamiliar with professional public safety practices.

This one-day course will provide numerous insights and serve as a guide to ensuring that the necessary relationships and processes are in place BEFORE a derailment or hazardous materials incident occurs.

(833) 377-0722

info@eps-sca.com