Locomotive Electrician Training

Download Application

Are you hooked on electronics?

The career: Locomotive Electrician

Locomotive electricians inspect, troubleshoot, and repair locomotive electrical systems on a wide variety of locomotive platforms. As a locomotive electrician, you will be asked to work on locomotives that were built over 50 years ago and then on one that was built yesterday.

What else do I need to know about being a locomotive electrician?

Locomotive electricians work in a wide range of environments and sometimes under adverse conditions to make sure the locomotive is able to move freight across the country. If the locomotive fails in the middle of a trip, a locomotive electrician will be dispatched within moments of being notified. Locomotive electricians will be required to make necessary evaluations, decisions and repairs sometimes with little direct supervision.

All Class 1 railroads and some short-line railroads require locomotive electricians to complete an extensive four-year apprenticeship. This apprenticeship includes classroom training on locomotive systems and hands-on training at a repair facility location. The hands-on portion of the training is under the supervision and tutelage of a Journeyman Locomotive Electrician. Upon completion of the apprenticeship program, the student becomes a Certified Journeyman Locomotive Electrician.

What will I learn at NARS?

You take four, one-week long courses in our facilities on the campus of Johnson County Community College, Overland Park, KS, a suburb of Kansas City.

You will attend each of the following classes for eight hours a day during the week-long period:

• Basic electricity and electronics
• EMD low horsepower locomotive electrical systems
• EMD locomotive electrical systems SD40-2
• GE dash 9 locomotive electrical systems

Upon completion of the classes you will:

• Have a basic understanding of electrical concepts, AC/DC motor and generator theory and solid state electronic theory.
• Be able to recognize and read locomotive electrical schematics, including symbols and terminology.
• Have a basic understanding of ElectroMotive Division and General Electric locomotive electrical systems.
• Have been introduced to basic locomotive troubleshooting skills, including the use of specialized test equipment.
• Have been introduced to basic railroad industry terminology and procedures.

What are the results at the end of the program?

Successful completion of the Locomotive Electrical Training Program helps prepare you for entry-level locomotive electrician positions with most railroads. You will receive a certificate of completion and you will also have 12 hours of college credit, giving you a great start on an Applied Associate of Science (AAS) degree. You will also be a top candidate for employment in the railroad industry.

You can DOWNLOAD more information and the Application Here!