Fundamentals of Railway Train Control and Signaling

This course provides an in-depth exploration of contemporary railway train control and signaling systems, covering key components such as Block Signal Design, Traffic Control Systems (TCS), Track Circuit Theory, and Positive Train Control (PTC). Learners will engage with industry standards, system requirements, and technological advancements to improve railway capacity, reliability, and safety. Core topics include interlocking designs, fail-safe principles, and essential electrical fundamentals that underpin signal operations. By mastering these areas, attendees will be equipped to design and implement effective and compliant train control solutions.

This entry-level course will teach you about the base systems architecture and function that are the foundation of signal and train control systems and PTC.  You will benefit if you are not an expert in train control and signaling but are working with railroads (or plan to be) and want a basic understanding of how signal systems are designed and operated.

Block Signal Design

• Minimum system and signal requirements
• Recommended practices (AREMA, APTA)
• System characteristics
• Minimum FRA signal system requirements
• Common signal plan symbols
• Rail system plans
• Cab signals
• Fixed block layouts (design, capacity, modeling)
• Safe braking distances, formulas, charts, and speed commands

Traffic Control Systems (TCS)

• Basic elements of TCS
• Primary functions and accomplishments
• Types of TCS
• Automatic block signal locations and equipment
• Minimum signal requirements
• Block signal requirements
• Moving block signaling
• FRA automatic block definitions
• Traffic control systems and functions
• Basic principles and signal systems
• Route and aspect chart

Electrical Fundamentals

• Resistance and current
• AC vs DC
• Resistors, inductors, capacitors

Track Circuit Theory

• FRA track circuit criteria
• DC track circuit
• AC power frequency circuit
• Audio track frequency circuits
• Track circuit based traffic control systems

Safety Assurance

• Safety analysis and objectives
• Fail-safe
• Training

Interlockings

• Interlocking overview and signaling
• FRA interlocking requirements
• Understanding switches
• Route locking and FRA requirements
• Detector and traffic locking
• Interlocking design and logic
• Interlocking examples

Positive Train Control

• What is PTC and how does it work
• How did we get here?
• PTC legislation and FRA
• Status of regulation and implementation
• PTC system architecture and operation
• Functional overview of operation
• PTC system components
• PTC systems
• ITEMS
• ACSES II
• ITCS
• Deployment status

"One of the best seminars in my 20+ years!  True industry experts sharing a wealth of knowledge in a well organized, professionally delivered manner."
—Keith Forman, Global Director Transit, Conductix, Inc., Omaha, Nebraska 

"I needed to get an overview and basic understanding of train control & signaling.  The course was great for this."
—Marie Benton, Sr. Manager Fleet Services Support, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Dallas, Texas

"Great course! Very beneficial overview of fundamentals. Definition of signal blocks was excellent."
—Frederick Bakarich, Director of Capital Projects Metro, St. Louis, Missouri

"This course is an excellent, in depth introduction to PTC and how it is being implemented."
—Joshua Matthews, Project Engineer, Transportation Technology Center, Inc.

James Hoelscher

James R. Hoelscher is President of Hoelscher Consulting. Hoelscher has experience in development, implementation, and integration of railway signal and train control systems with a number of transit agencies, railroads, consultants, and contractors including Alstom and Invensys. He participated in the FRA RSAC meetings to develop the rules for PTC (236 Subpart I).

Timothy Heywood

Tim Heywood is a Principal Safety Engineer with Critical Systems Analysis (CSA).  He has more than 25 years of experience in the rail industry providing safety and reliability analysis, and product design and implementation of safety-critical signaling and communications systems for train control.  He is a subject matter expert for safety analysis and risk assessment of CBTC and PTC systems. He is a member of AREMA Committee 39 developing recommended practices for PTC Systems.

Peter Matiukas

Pete Matiukas is retired as Principal Signal Designer responsible for transit and railroad system designs, including signaling and train control, rail operations, communications, and systems integration.  He is experienced with light rail and heavy rail transit, commuter rail, and freight rail.  He was active in AREMA Committees 37 and 39.

James Balliet

James Balliet is currently the Principal Rail Safety Engineer for TUV in Rochester, NY.  He has experience in the rail safety industry involving the development of vital signaling equipment (e.g. interlocking, track circuits, onboard communications) and evaluation of rail systems safety assurance (e.g. RAMS and Standards and Regulatory and Agency Certification Compliance).