Training for the licence to operate and maintain railway cranes
Authorisations for railway cranes and on railway vehicles issued by UDT, TDT or WDT are necessary for both the operation and maintenance of these machines. By taking part in a course organised by us, you will prepare yourself comprehensively and without any problems to obtain the relevant qualifications.
What is the purpose of the training?
It is our priority to prepare trainees as thoroughly, efficiently and comprehensively as possible to pass the state examination for a licence to operate and maintain railway cranes and cranes on railway vehicles before a commission appointed by the Office of Technical Inspection. The aim of the training is therefore primarily based on acquiring the necessary qualifications to work as an operator or maintainer.
For whom is the training intended?
The course we organise is intended for anyone wishing to gain knowledge or broaden their existing qualifications in the operation and maintenance of railway cranes and on railway vehicles, as well as to take the examination held before a commission from the Office of Technical Inspection in order to obtain the necessary qualifications to become an operator or maintainer of the aforementioned equipment.
Conditions of participation in the training course for maintenance and railway crane operators:
- at least 18 years of age - the student must be of full age;
- have at least a primary school education;
- appropriate payment for the course;
- a statement of no health contraindications.
What does the course look like?
The course is divided into two parts - theoretical and practical. During the theoretical part of the course, trainees will mainly learn the theoretical knowledge necessary for the work of a maintainer and operator of railway cranes and on railway vehicles. The practical classes, on the other hand, will enable participants to skilfully translate the knowledge gained during the lectures into experience of using the machine.
Railway crane course programme
The scope of the training includes:
- documentation and information on technical supervision;
- construction of railway cranes and on railway vehicles;
- operating rules and maintenance plan for the equipment;
- operator and maintenance duties before, during and after working with the equipment on the stand;
- the main principles of appliance cleaning;
- required standards and conditions for working with cranes;
- employee's responsibilities and the powers of the UDT;
- practical exercises;
- health and safety regulations.
Examination and entitlement
The state exam for a maintenance or operator's licence is taken at the UDT, TDT or WDT and takes place before a commission from one of the aforementioned institutions. It consists of two parts - practical and theoretical.
Validity of allowances
The qualifications issued by the UDT, TDT or WDT for operator or maintainer of a railway and ramp crane are issued for a period of 5 years. However, it is possible to extend the qualification if, at least 3 months before the end of the validity of the obtained entitlement, the holder submits an appropriate application confirming his/her work as a crane operator or maintainer.
What is a raillway crane?
Railway crane (English. raillway crane) is a specialised railway vehicle that is used to move loads vertically and horizontally. It is primarily used for utility, repair, construction and transhipment work, as well as for clearing up the unwanted effects of railway disasters. In most cases, railway cranes have their own drive, with which they can move around the work site at low speed. However, the equipment is transported to the work site by a traction vehicle (a diesel locomotive is most commonly used for this purpose).
Construction of railway cranes
Railway cranes are constructed either as self-contained units with their own propulsion system, used for independent movement of these units within the defined limits of the worksite served, or as towed (trailed) units in a train, used when there is a need to travel a further distance. For this reason, rail cranes must also have all the coupling devices, brakes and buffers with which other rolling stock units are equipped.
Driving rail cranes
There are four basic types of drives for railway cranes used in the operational use of these machines.
Types of drives for railway cranes:
- steam;
- combustion;
- diesel-electric;
- manual.
Historically, steam engines were used to drive railway cranes, but steam drives were withdrawn from circulation in the second half of the 1980s. Subsequently, diesel internal combustion engines were used, having a central drive for all crane mechanisms. However, the most economical and currently most popular drive is the diesel-electric drive. With this type of power supply, the individual mechanisms of the railway crane are driven by separate electric motors, thereby eliminating the numerous gears that are necessary when these mechanisms are centrally driven from a single engine. This solution is particularly advisable in cases where the equipment serves tracks that are located on industrial sites. Manually driven railway cranes are mainly used for utility purposes.
Control and power of railway cranes
The control of the rail-mounted cranes takes place via a radio system configured to enable the operator to selectively choose operation, i.e. manoeuvring all the cranes separately, synchronously in freely selected pairs or all the cranes simultaneously. In addition to this, so-called emergency control is also possible, which involves operating all the cranes separately via a cassette that is mounted directly on the hoist.
Railway cranes, due to the nature of their construction, are powered by either a diesel generator or a battery, which is fitted to the cranes.
What are railway cranes used for?
Rail cranes are most often used when moving heavy loads vertically and horizontally. The equipment is used, among other things, in the construction industry, where it is used during the integration and assembly of industrial steel structures (e.g. metallurgical buildings), as well as the assembly of heavy reinforced concrete structures. The decision to use rail-mounted cranes is most often made in cases where the structures lie next to permanent service tracks, especially when the tracks are installed inside halls. For construction purposes, cranes with a lifting capacity of around 15 - 25 T are best suited, while heavy-duty units (over 75 T) are used for railway emergencies. Railway cranes are also used for industrial hall assembly purposes. In this case, they are provided with long booms with special beaks.
Standard equipment for railway cranes consists of:
- hook - for assembly and art materials;
- gripper - for operations in loose material depots.
Other types of cranes:
- tower crane - It is a crane with a vertical mast mounted with a boom on a stationary or mobile chassis;
- high-speed crane (low-headroom) - is a device whose design allows it to be ready for use in a very short time and without the use of additional equipment.
- mobile crane - is a crane, commonly referred to as a crane, which is placed on a truck chassis or on a special self-propelled chassis. A mobile crane is primarily used for assembly and handling work;
- stationary crane - is a crane, commonly referred to as a workshop crane, which most often consists of the base of a pole fixed to it, to which a jib is attached, performing a rotary movement. This jib may also be attached to a wall;
- mobile crane (HDS) - is a crane that is placed on a lorry at a position between the body and the driver's cab or at the rear of the vehicle. This machine is mainly used for loading and unloading goods onto the vehicle;
- mobile crane - is a trailer-mounted crane.
Other courses available in our offer
In addition to the course on railway cranes and on railway vehicles, with us you can gain UDT qualifications for, among others:
- tower cranes;
- high speed cranes;
- rail-mounted cranes;
- HDS mobile and mobile cranes;
- stationary cranes;
- mobile cranes;
- deck and floating cranes.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Questions and answers
What types of machines do you run courses on?
In addition to the crane course for railway cranes and on railway vehicles, with us you can gain UDT qualifications for tower cranes, high-speed cranes, rail cranes, stationary cranes, self-propelled cranes, deck cranes, floating cranes and portable and mobile HDS cranes, among others.
What is the period of validity of qualifications for railway cranes and on railway vehicles?
Authorisations issued by the UDT, TDT or WDT for the operator or maintainer of railway cranes and on railway ramps are issued for a period of 5 years, with the possibility of renewal.
