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CourseCivil, Rail & Smart Cities Applications open

Electronic Interlocking and Safety Course

Online course of 300 hours in electronic interlockings and safety, structured in 6 modules covering interlocking logic, electronic interlocking architectures, functional safety, software and application data, and testing and commissioning under UNE-EN 50129, UNE-EN 50128 and UNE-EN 50126-1, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration3 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute certificate
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Electronic Interlocking and Safety Course — studying from the United States

Civil and transportation engineering is a large and visible sector in the United States, supported by federal infrastructure investment and active state and municipal programs. Major firms such as AECOM, Jacobs and Kiewit work on highways, bridges, rail and water systems nationwide. Rail engineering, centered on corridors in the Northeast, Midwest and California, is expanding with passenger and freight modernization. Smart city initiatives in cities like Pittsburgh, Boston and Austin integrate sensors, data platforms and digital twins into infrastructure planning and operations.

Fees for the United States: 500 US$ (US Dollars), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.

Relevant bodies in the United States

  • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
  • Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
  • American Public Transportation Association (APTA)
  • American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

Typical roles

  • Civil Engineer
  • Transportation Engineer
  • Rail Systems Engineer
  • Smart City Infrastructure Engineer

Questions from the United States

Is the programme taught in English?

Yes. All programmes are taught in English, with technical materials and assessments delivered in that language.

Can I study from any state?

Yes. Programmes are 100% online, so you can study from anywhere in the United States with a reliable internet connection.

Virtual lab · try it before you enrol

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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Master route and interlocking logic.

02

Understand the architectures of electronic interlockings.

03

Apply the railway functional safety life cycle.

04

Verify interlocking software and application data.

05

Plan testing, changeovers and commissioning.

06

Manage the maintenance and renewal of interlockings.

07

Design the electronic interlocking of a station.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Interlocking engineers.
  • Functional safety engineers.
  • Verification and validation engineers.
  • Signalling test technicians.
  • Independent safety assessors.
  • Signalling maintenance engineers.
  • Engineering or science graduates looking to enter railway signalling.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • UNE-EN 50129 (safety-related electronic systems for signalling)
  • UNE-EN 50128 (software for railway control and protection systems)
  • UNE-EN 50126-1 (railway applications: RAMS)
  • UNE-EN 50126-2 (systems approach to safety)
  • UNE-EN 50159 (safety-related communication in transmission systems)
  • Implementing Regulation (EU) 402/2013 (common safety method for risk evaluation and assessment)
  • IEC 61508 (functional safety of electrical, electronic and programmable systems)
  • CLC/TS 50701 (cybersecurity for railway applications)
  • SCADE Suite
  • Prover iLock
  • Enterprise Architect
  • Isograph Reliability Workbench
  • AutoCAD
Syllabus

6 modules

  1. 1.1Role of the interlocking in the station
  2. 1.2Routes and their safety conditions
  3. 1.3Interlocking of points, signals and level crossings
  4. 1.4Flank protection and overlaps
  5. 1.5Sequential and timed release
  6. 1.6Shunting movements and authorised passing of signals
  7. 1.7Interlocking and conflict tables
  8. 1.8Geographical and table-based interlockings
  9. 1.9Interface with block and protection systems
  10. 1.10Workshop: route table for a station with six sets of points
  1. 2.1Evolution from relay to electronic interlocking
  2. 2.22oo2 and 2oo3 architectures
  3. 2.3Hardware and software diversity
  4. 2.4Object controllers and concentrators
  5. 2.5Communication with field elements
  6. 2.6Local control panel and remote control
  7. 2.7Interfaces with RBC and zone controllers
  8. 2.8Distributed and cloud-based interlockings
  9. 2.9Commercial products on the market
  10. 2.10Case study: architecture of a high-speed interlocking
  1. 3.1Concepts of tolerable risk and SIL
  2. 3.2Life cycle according to UNE-EN 50126
  3. 3.3Hazard analysis and hazard log
  4. 3.4System safety requirements
  5. 3.5Safety case according to UNE-EN 50129
  6. 3.6Random and systematic failures
  7. 3.7Independent safety assessment
  8. 3.8Cross-acceptance of products
  9. 3.9Management of safety-related changes
  10. 3.10Practical exercise: hazard analysis of a route
  1. 4.1Software development according to UNE-EN 50128
  2. 4.2Certified languages and tools
  3. 4.3Station-specific application data
  4. 4.4Software verification and validation
  5. 4.5Formal methods in interlockings
  6. 4.6Model checking and automated testing
  7. 4.7Configuration management
  8. 4.8Cybersecurity in interlockings
  9. 4.9Data engineering tools
  10. 4.10Lab: formal verification of route logic
  1. 5.1Factory tests and simulation
  2. 5.2Field tests and wiring checks
  3. 5.3On-site interlocking tests
  4. 5.4Possessions and system changeover
  5. 5.5Authorisation for placing in service
  6. 5.6Preventive maintenance and diagnostics
  7. 5.7Incident and fault management
  8. 5.8Event logging and analysis
  9. 5.9Renewal of old interlockings
  10. 5.10Case study: changeover plan for an interlocking
  1. 6.1Station track layout
  2. 6.2Definition of routes
  3. 6.3Complete interlocking table
  4. 6.4Architecture of the proposed system
  5. 6.5Hazard analysis
  6. 6.6Verification and validation plan
  7. 6.7Testing and commissioning plan
  8. 6.8Cost estimate of the system
  9. 6.9Report and presentation
  10. 6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

The course is delivered 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is SCADE Suite, Prover iLock, Enterprise Architect, Isograph Reliability Workbench and AutoCAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for drawing up interlocking tables, signalling hazard analysis and application data verification. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.

Standards covered: UNE-EN 50129, UNE-EN 50128, UNE-EN 50126-1, UNE-EN 50126-2, UNE-EN 50159, Implementing Regulation (EU) 402/2013 (CSM-RA), IEC 61508, CLC/TS 50701.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of UNE-EN 50129, UNE-EN 50128 and UNE-EN 50126-1 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:SCADE Suite, Prover iLock, Enterprise Architect, Isograph Reliability Workbench, AutoCAD, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:the electronic interlocking design of a station, from track layout and routes to the full interlocking table, architecture, hazard analysis and V&V plan, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Station route table
Draw up the route table for a station with six sets of points.
Route hazard analysis
Identify and assess the hazards of a route and record them in a hazard log.
Formal route verification
Verify route logic formally using model checking.
Changeover plan
Plan the changeover from an old interlocking to a new one.
Final project
Design the electronic interlocking of a station, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Interlocking engineerFunctional safety engineerVerification and validation engineerSignalling test technicianIndependent safety assessorSignalling maintenance engineer
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • No prior qualification is required.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with SCADE Suite, Prover iLock, Enterprise Architect, Isograph Reliability Workbench, AutoCAD, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

No prior qualification is required: you only need a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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