Rail Maintenance Technician Science & Engineering Technicians

Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.

Possess basic knowledge of the mechanics involved in trains, understand the technicalities and participate in discussions on related topics in order to solve problems related to the mechanics.

Recommended Books

1 book

Railroad Men's Catechism

Angus Sinclair

2023

Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

Sensors are transducers that can detect or sense characteristics in their environment. They detect changes in the apparatus or environment and provide a corresponding optical or electrical signal. Sensors are …

Thoroughly understand the forces of physics involved in the interaction between the wheels and the rail, possible rail defects, maintenance practices, and cost implications.

Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.

Check construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.

Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject …

Use elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if …

Formulate advice on maintenance, repair or upgrades of the inspected railroad infrastructure.

Identify and analyse damage or malfunctions in the mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic equipment of rail track; determine necessary maintenance and repair work.

Monitor the output from various sensors that detect flaws in a railroad track, including laser sensors which scan for discontinuities, microphone sensors, gyroscopes which detect tilt, and others.

Visually check the integrity of train tracks, sleepers, and ballast. This is usually done in reaction to reports from workers or detections by sensors.

Read, analyse and interpret the graphical recordings issued by the rail-flaw-detection machine in order to detect errors or flaws in rails.

Diagnose and detect malfunctions in sensor components, systems, and products using sensors and remove, replace, or repair these components when necessary. Execute preventative equipment maintenance tasks, such as storing the …

Monitor a variety of sensors, such as heat sensors and wheel impact load sensors, that detect flaws in railway and train operations. Check the output from the sensors from a …

Test sensors using appropriate equipment. Gather and analyse data. Monitor and evaluate system performance and take action if needed.

Compose documents and reports on the nature of rail defects investigated, position of defect in rail, location, etc.

Understand the functioning of electrical systems, their specifications, and application in operations and systems for the transportation of freight and people.

Recommended Books

2 books

Electrical Systems 1

Abdenour Soualhi, Hubert…

2020

Preview

Electrical Railway Transportation Systems

Morris Brenna, Federica …

2018

Preview

Know and apply railway framework legislation where requirements for railways in the EU are established. Know legislation that applies to the field of cross-border freight transit.

Recommended Books

1 book

Handbook on Railway Regulation

Matthias Finger, Juan Mo…

2020

Preview

Regulations on construction products quality standards applied throughout the European Union.

The study of electric energy, more specifically electron, control and its prominent principles regarding integrated circuits and electrical systems.

Hot wheel detection systems, which record the temperature of passing rail vehicle wheels and pass an alarm if a critical temperature is reached.

The hunting truck detector, which detects hunting of rail vehicle trucks, i.e. side-to-side movements which cause harmful impacts of the side of the wheels on the tracks.

Understand traditional and modern signalling systems; operate railway signalling systems.

Weigh in motion systems, which measure the weight of a vehicle passing over and may send out an alarm if the vehicle is overloaded or unbalanced.

The wheel impact load detector or WILD, a detector that monitors the impact of railed vehicle wheels on the tracks.

The composition and functions of a work train, a train composed of automatic machines that remove, inspect, adjust and lay railway ballast, sleepers and rails.

File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.

Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.

Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.

Keep written records of all repairs and maintenance interventions undertaken, including information on the parts and materials used, etc.

Receive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.

Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.

Work as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible …

Detect internal flaws in rails in order to prevent derailments.

Communicate and cooperate with bridge, geotechnical, materials experts, architects, etc.

Perform tests of the rail-flaw-detection machine using circuit testers.

Use a tribometer to check the amount of friction that a surface provides.