Rail Company Interview Questions

NoseyMike2010

Has anyone applied for a rail engineering job either here or abroad?

What type of technical questions can be asked?

eire2009

Worked for the one,


A lot of safety,

Why you don’t wear red or green clothing on the track, what colour h-vis they wear and why..

The first thing you do in the event of an emergency(ring the signal man)

ehh how signaling systems work,relay rooms, automatic relays, think they were all changed to a digital system now in Ireland not sure for the country side, how to change a bulb(not being funny), voltage going along the tracks, whats in the location cases, good at map reading finding your way around, problems with shift work, work with transformers, pneumatic pumps, motors .... Theres a lot to cover actually, what postion exactly? ..

NoseyMike2010

eire2009 wrote: »

Worked for the one,


A lot of safety,

Why you don’t wear red or green clothing on the track, what colour h-vis they wear and why..

The first thing you do in the event of an emergency(ring the signal man)

ehh how signaling systems work,relay rooms, automatic relays, think they were all changed to a digital system now in Ireland not sure for the country side, how to change a bulb(not being funny), voltage going along the tracks, whats in the location cases, good at map reading finding your way around, problems with shift work, work with transformers, pneumatic pumps, motors .... Theres a lot to cover actually, what postion exactly? ..

Cheers Eire,

Couple of questions that I hope you or others can answer .....

1) Why don't you wear green or red clothing?

2) What do you do in an emergency?

3) Can you guide me to some good sites where i can read up on the relays, signalling systems, pumps, etc

4) Hoping to get into signalling. What should I concentrate on here? What other types of positions are on offer?

Regards,

Mike.

Pineapple stu

I would be suprised if they hired from the outside seeing that they are tying to cut costs as it is.

To answer you questions better it would be handy to know what position you are going for as there are many departments .

eire2009

NoseyMike2010 wrote: »

Cheers Eire,

Couple of questions that I hope you or others can answer .....

1) Why don't you wear green or red clothing? Train Driver could mistake it in the distance for a signal..

2) What do you do in an emergency? 1st thing ring the signal man..

3) Can you guide me to some good sites where i can read up on the relays, signalling systems, pumps, etc.. It depends like the wiring diagrams are backwards ie .. Normally closed instead of open, some departments us clamp locks some motors to switch points..



4) Hoping to get into signalling. What should I concentrate on here? What other types of positions are on offer?

I dont know what type of other positions are on offer although I suggest the UK as Irish Rail is over staffed for the economic climate..

Signaling, the signals are double filament so when the primary goes it flicks a relay and lights up a bulb in your cabin, so you ring the maintenance section for that problem..

Same goes for level crossing`s etc..

For a signal to change from red to green the process is fairly complicated to explain its not just a switch, before it changes to green it has to pass a number of tests(or relays) one to check if there’s a train on the outgoing track, one to check that the incoming signal is red, one to check that the points are switched in the right direction, one to check that the points are not being obstructed in any way it goes on and on until every possible situation is covered then the light will turn green .. This process is done in relay rooms and in the last 10 years computers are being used instead with one main control room for the whole section(the process is the same)

Everything is all safety checks and communication with being a signal man.. Once you understand the process and the safety procedures thats all they can ask really ..

NoseyMike2010

Eire,

What type of system is the logic done on? Is it PLC's? And do they use SCADA HMI graphics.

Mike

eire2009

NoseyMike2010 wrote: »

Eire,

What type of system is the logic done on? Is it PLC's? And do they use SCADA HMI graphics.

Mike

It was done using 100`s of relays, when I was leaving 8 years ago it was all switching to plc`s..

Some of the stations had relays that were best suited to a museum and probably had a good collectors value..

I doubt if Irish rail use SCADA HMI, the Luas might or London underground..

I was more the electricial side of it ..

NoseyMike2010

Was/Is there much oppurtunity to work outside of the office?

eire2009

NoseyMike2010 wrote: »

Was/Is there much oppurtunity to work outside of the office?

My job there was outside the office it was electricial maintenance..

It depends on the role ..

NoseyMike2010

Got any good websites where i learn more about the type of logic used in railways?

Should I try the UK for rail jobs?

eire2009

NoseyMike2010 wrote: »

Got any good websites where i learn more about the type of logic used in railways?

Should I try the UK for rail jobs?

dont know any,

Theres many there so why not ..

Doing the PTS course in the UK will help as well ..

www.railwaypeople.com I get mails offering jobs all the time off these..

Pineapple stu

Doing the PTS in the Uk will have no bearing as you will still have to do one here .
You would be best to look at the private Uk firms for a rail job as Irish Rail are not hiring from outside the company at this time.

NoseyMike2010

I have stuck the cv out for jobs in rail companies in the UK. How should i prepare myself if and thats a big if i were to get an interview. What technical questions should i be preparing myself for.

NoseyMike2010

I have been called to an assessment centre in the UK. I have never attended one before. What do I do in them. How can I prepare myself not to look like an idiot.

For a rail type job ... what should I be doing to prepare myself.

Regards,

Noseymike2010

merengueca

Hi,


Jut wondering what your background is. Degree, Post leaving Cert qualifacation or just got an interest in the industry. Non are bad, just kind of dictates what role you should be going for.

Sadly one thing to bear in mind is that the railway industry in UK has seen large number of job losses in the past 18 months, no different to everywhere else in the world right now they are trying to drive efficiencies.
That isn't to say they're aren't opportunities - god knows the industry needs fresh blood. Also despite the recent redundencies it can still be difficult to find suitably qualified people for peak shifts (Saturday Night).

You can find more background info on the industry at railchat.co.uk...it's no so much a job site more people from different cuts of the industry having a chat. Also, if you can focus your search around London if possible - further up the country there doesn't seem to be quite the staff turnover as people still treat it like a job for life so fewer vacancies created.

Also look at the Agencies...they are the best way to get on and get your safety skills up if you can't get on with one of the big ones.

Good luck (and don't worry too much about the wearing of red, yellow or green...they had to drop that rule after Richard Branson painted all his trains red!)

NoseyMike2010

I have a Masters in Engineering. I have passed the interview for the engineering department but now have to attend an assessment centre. I have never had to go to an assessment centre before so i have absolutely no idea what to expect.

Any ideas?

merengueca

MEng in which field? Also, which company are you being assessed with. I'm guessing it is the grad placement with NR.

Never went through the assessment centre myself, but it really isn't too much to worry about. A lot of the tech and safety regs are very industry specific so I don't think anyone will b expecting you to know the ins and outs of a knats arse - just that you've made the effort to do a bit of research.. get in the fact you've looked into GRIP, that will be good.
Main recruitment drive at NR is based on attitude as opposed to capability.... even better if you can combine both.
The most qualified guy in the world won't get in if his attitude stinks, so demonstrate that you are eager, have a genuine interest in the company and really want to work hard.
If you want to do some background reading on current projects try googling :
Thameslink
HS2 (High Speed 2)
Manchester - Liverpool Electrification

Good luck

NoseyMike2010

MEng in Electronic Systems. And yes with NR. I have had an interview but I am being sent to the assessment centre.

NoseyMike2010

What type of technical questions should one learn in preparation?

InReality

Most grad assesment tests are just soft skills , teamwork etc

merengueca

Just wondering how it went?

NoseyMike2010

Cool will give it a go!