IRSE Professional Examination Syllabus:

Module A
Railway Control Engineering Fundamentals
AIM
The aim of this module is to assess the students’ knowledge and understanding of the broad
concepts and principles of railway signalling, telecommunications and systems engineering.
This includes the context within which railway signalling, telecommunications and systems
engineers work including interfaces with other railway and non-railway systems and processes.
It does not seek to assess in-depth knowledge of any of the subjects.
The 11 LEARNING OBJECTIVES are to understand each of the 11 syllabus sections below

1) OPERATIONS. How a railway is operated to provide a safe and reliable service: including the
role of railway control and communications systems, operational staff & rules and how these may
be impacted by human factors
2) TECHNICAL PRINCIPLES. Railway control and communications philosophy and high-level
principles: including safety and efficiency of train movements
3) SAFETY PRINCIPLES. Safety Engineering principles as applicable to a railway: hazard and risk
assessment, identification and analysis techniques
4) TECHNICAL FUNCTIONS. The basic concepts of railway signalling and control systems:
including the functions of an interlocking; train detection and routing; traffic management;
operational and business communication systems
5) APPLICATIONS. The functionality and potential limitations of the various types of signalling,
telecommunications and control equipment (e.g. mechanical, colour-light or in-cab signalling;
UHF, GSM or public radio; copper or fibre cables; PDH, SDH or IP transmission systems)
6) LIFECYCLE. The basic concepts of a system lifecycle: including requirements definition,
application design, software production, system configuration, installation, testing, commissioning
and safety assurance.
7) MAINTENANCE. How maintenance, inspection and testing keep the railway safe and reliable.
Concepts of dependability (reliability, availability, maintainability, safety, security) and operability.
8) INTEGRITY. The basic concepts of design of fail-safe hardware and high-integrity software e.g.
design for safe output, fail safe, safety integrity levels
9) GOVERNANCE. Governance applicable through standards, procedures, legislation and
regulations which apply to operating and changing a railway.
10) TECHNICAL INTERFACES. The interfaces and interactions between railway control and
communications and related systems within the railway and stakeholders, including: operations,
rolling stock, permanent way, electrification, power, evacuation system, structures, tunnels and
stations
11) EXTERNAL INTERFACES. The role of railway control and communications in functions other
than the control of train movement, including: control and protection of road and pedestrian traffic
at level crossings, management of passenger movement at stations, protection of passenger/train
interface at stations, protection of staff on or about the track & management of emergencies,
including provision of alarms and general telecommunications

To be able to:
Demonstrate knowledge of the principles, applications and terminology of railway control and
communications, its equipment and the interfaces and interactions with related systems

Module A Syllabus v4.1.docx