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Demonstrate basic knowledge of railway signals

Level / 2
Credits / 5

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard are able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of: fixed railway signals; train signals; hand railway signals; audible railway signals; and track worker signals.

Subfield / Rail Transport
Domain / Rail Core Skills
Status / Registered
Status date / 14 December 2007
Date version published / 14 December 2007
Planned review date / 31 December 2012
Entry information / Open.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation by NZQA.
Standard setting body (SSB) / Competenz
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0013

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1Assessment against this unit standard is to be carried out within the context of an organisation operating under a current, valid Rail Licence issued in accordance with the provisions of the Railways Act 2005. The organisation’s operating rules, codes, and instructions, referred to in this unit standard, are those the organisation has in place to meet the requirements of the Rail Licence.

2Definitions

Organisational procedures refer to documents that include: worksite rules, codes, and practices; equipment operating instructions; documented quality management systems; and health and safety requirements.

Locomotive whistle refers to any audible warning device installed on motive power units.

Fixed signals refers to all categories of fixed signals and points indicators.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Demonstrate basic knowledge of fixed railway signals.

Performance criteria

1.1Types of fixed signals are described in terms of their purpose and function.

Rangecoloured lights, mechanical signals.

1.2Types of colour-light signals are differentiated in terms of design and purpose.

Rangecolour-light shunting signals, automatic running signals, multi-aspect lights, searchlight units, marker lights/disc, points indicators.

1.3Display aspects for the danger-stop signal are described in terms of colour-light signals.

Rangeshunting signals, automatic running signals.

1.4Steps for reporting fixed signal failures and irregularities are described in accordance with organisational procedures.

Element 2

Demonstrate basic knowledge of train signals.

Performance criteria

2.1Train headlight use is described in terms of daytime and night-time operation.

2.2Train tail-light use is described in terms of purpose.

Element 3

Demonstrate basic knowledge of hand railway signals.

Performance criteria

3.1Methods of giving hand signals are described in terms of purpose and equipment.

Rangeflags, arms, lights.

3.2Limitations of hand-signal use are described in terms of restrictions stemming from the presence of fixed signal systems.

3.3Night and day hand signals for the danger-stop signal are demonstrated in accordance with organisational procedures.

Rangearms, flags, lights.

Element 4

Demonstrate basic knowledge of audible railway signals.

Performance criteria

4.1Locomotive whistle signals are described in terms of number and description of whistles sounded and what they indicate.

Rangegeneral warning, apply brakes, set back, moving forward.

4.2Detonator signals are described in terms of purpose and function.

4.3Security and safety considerations concerning the use of detonators are described in accordance with organisational procedures.

Element 5

Demonstrate basic knowledge of track worker signals.

Performance criteria

5.1Track worker danger-stop signal is described in terms of appearance.

Rangesignal by day, signal by night.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

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 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018