High School
Proven mechanical aptitude is very desirable, and a firm knowledge of electricity is a must. Because of the change in signaling technology in the railroad industry, railroads are requiring new job applicants to pass written tests that include AC/DC electronics. Therefore, you should take high school courses in electrical shop and electronics to give you a good background for this work. Take computer classes to familiarize yourself with this technology. Mathematics classes will also give you the skills you need to complete calculations and detailed work. Take English classes to hone your research, writing, and speaking skills. You will need these skills for completing reports.
Postsecondary Training
Signal mechanics must have at least a high school diploma, although some railroads have gone so far as to require applicants to have college degrees in electronics or electrical engineering. Some signal mechanics train for the field by completing an apprenticeship of up to four years. Other railroads will consider applicants who have military experience in electronics, or who possess a two-year degree in electronics from a technical school.
Workers are usually trained both on the job and in the classroom. Some of the biggest railroads have their own schools; the smaller ones often contract to send their employees to those schools. For example, Norfolk Southern sends its signal trainees to its training center in McDonough, Georgia, during which they are paid a training wage and lodging and meals are paid for during the one-week training course.
Subjects studied in the classroom include electrical and electronics theory; mathematics; signal apparatus, protection devices, and circuits; federal railroad administration policies; and procedures related to signaling.