Fundamentals of Railway Train Control and Signaling

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

Registration Date/Time:
10/28/2025 8:00am Central Time

Event Dates/Times:

• 10/28/2025  8:30am - 4:30pm Central Time
• 10/29/2025  8:30am - 4:30pm Central Time

This is a HyFlex (in-person and online) taught course. Your registration is for one teaching platform only: in-person or online. Please be prepared to attend all days either in-person or online. Contact us if you have any questions or if you need to make a change. 

Registration confirmation will guide students through accessing the Canvas course site.

Students will create and log in to the Canvas course site with a NetID. Course assets such as instructional materials, participation certificates, and course evaluations will be available to all students through the Canvas course site.

The course materials are all digital and only available on the Canvas course website. 

Online attendees will access sessions via the Zoom web conferencing platform. The Zoom link will be provided a few days before the course.

Please watch the email address that you provide during registration for release dates and pre-course information. 

• Instructors

  James Hoelscher

  President

  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).

  James Balliet

  Principal Safety Engineer

  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).

  Timothy Heywood

  Principal Safety Engineer

  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.

• Program Director

  Dave Peterson

This course has two attendance options: face-to-face or online.

Face-to-face fee covers morning and afternoon breaks, scheduled lunches, and course materials.

Online fee covers course materials and online instruction. Online attendees will access course sessions via the Zoom web conferencing platform.

If you are planning to attend an Interdisciplinary Professional Programs course, payment is required at the time of registration. Below are the payment options:

Pay by Credit Card

Enroll online and pay by credit card.

• Search for the course on the website and then click on the Enroll Now button from the course webpage.
• Enter all necessary course attendee information and payment information on the course enrollment page.
• You will receive an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Enroll over the phone and pay by credit card.

• Call CERC Registrations at 608-262-2451.
• Provide the registrations representative with:
  • the course name, dates, and/or course number.
  • the necessary course attendee information and payment information.
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment payment.

Pay by Check

Mail in a completed registration form and check payable to UW Madison.

• Fill out a registration form (found either in the back of the course brochure you received in the mail or here).
• Prepare a check, made payable to UW Madison.
• Mail the registration form and check to: CERC Registrations 21 N Park St, Ste 7101 Madison, WI 53715
• You will receive either a mailed document or an email to confirm successful enrollment and payment.

Pay by Purchase Order

• Request Purchase Order information from interpro@union.wisc.edu
  • If a fee quote is needed, contact custserv@interpro.wisc.edu first
• You will receive an invoice from UW–Madison Business Services for payment, usually within 3–5 business days

Military

If using SF-182 form, please call our registration number at 608-262-2451 or email interpro@union.wisc.edu for details and instructions.

Event Cancellation

We reserve the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen events. If we cancel a course, participants will be notified via email or phone and will be given the option for a full refund or to transfer their registration and any fees paid to another course. We are not responsible for non-refundable plane tickets, hotel reservations, and other travel related expenses. For enrollee Course Cancellation, refer to notes on course page.

If you cannot attend, please notify us no later than one week before your course begins, and we will refund your fee. Cancellations received after this date and no-shows are subject to a $150 administrative fee. You may enroll a substitute at any time before the course starts.