EMC for Rail

EMC for Rail, formerly Fundamentals of EMC in Rail, is a 4-day course that delivers an in-depth study of EMC in the complex railway environment. It provides an understanding of its importance and the need to manage EMC from project concept to completion.
It is illegal to sell or operate electronic equipment or systems that are not compliant with the EMC Directive within the European Economic Area. In the rail environment, additional regulations are also laid down by companies such as Network Rail, Crossrail and London Underground.
Topics covered in this course help you to understand and manage the railway electromagnetic environment. The legal EMC requirements will be explained and how these are satisfied by use of standards and Technical Documentation; these requirements are related to safety and safety case requirements.

This course covers essential concepts of EMC in the rail environment from the underlying theory, standards and testing, design requirements and how to achieve EMC assurance.

Topics covered include

• Introduction to EMC, EM waves and radiation mechanisms
• Commercial and Railway EMC standards including
• Technical Documentation
  • Updates to the EN 50121-X series
  • Network Rail specific EMC standards
  • LU specific EMC standards
• Railway specific EMC considerations including
  • Railway EMC measurements both at the trackside (on-site testing) and within the laboratory
  • Signalling systems
  • The power feeding arrangements in AC and DC railways
  • The EMI threats posed by traction drives
  • Fixed installation requirements
  • How unwanted signals couple into lineside S and T cables
  • How to shield/screen equipment and how to measure and reduce touch potentials
• Interoperability, management and regulatory considerations
• EMC management
• Practical immunisation case studies
• Fundamental EMC knowledge of antennas, testing, standards and interference effects

This course includes one day of demonstrations held at our UKAS accredited test Laboratory (in Castleford near Leeds), during which our experienced Test Engineers are available to answer specific testing questions you may have. The practical demonstrations illustrate the commonly required EMC tests

• Conducted emissions
• Radiated emissions
• Conducted immunity (RF, EFTB, etc)
• Radiated immunity

• An overall understanding of both the theoretical & practical aspects of EMC in the railway environment
• Introduces the key management techniques to achieve EMC
• Provides an understanding of EMC mitigation design techniques
• 34 continuing professional development (CPD) hours* for chartered engineers or those working towards their chartered status

• Three days with a mixture of lectures, presentations, interactive workshops and demonstrations
• One day of practical demonstrations at our UKAS accredited Test Laboratory to illustrate the commonly required EMC tests described in the EN 61000-4-x series of standards, such as; conducted emissions, radiated emissions, conducted immunity and radiated immunity

Applying the knowledge and understanding from this course will improve the management of EMC and minimise the risk of unforeseen problems and therefore their associated time and cost over-runs.

4 Days

Days 1, 2 & 4 of this course will be hosted at our Laboratory in Castleford, West Yorkshire. Day 3 will take place at our site in York UK.

• Engineers concerned with EMC approvals and assurance on the railway network
• Engineers and manufacturers who make apparatus to be used on the rail network
• Engineers and managers wishing to learn how the EMC is controlled throughout a project
• Rolling Stock manufactures wishing to achieve compliance

Attendees will gain

• An overview of the EMC issues affecting AC and DC railway systems
• An understanding of the key EMC subjects within the railway environment
• The ability to manage EMC effectively and achieve EMC assurance
• Knowledge of regulatory EMC requirements and the relationship to standards
• An overview of standards
• Knowledge of how EMC issues can be mitigated