SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Demonstrate knowledge of a train operating system 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
256198  Demonstrate knowledge of a train operating system 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Transport and Logistics Operations 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 11 - Services Transport, Operations and Logistics 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 4  NQF Level 04  3 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
This unit standard will be useful for people starting on a learning pathway in the rail transport industry (train driving), and contributes towards the foundational knowledge, skills and values required for access to, and mobility and progression within the industry. It is intended to describe key skills and knowledge requirements for those Drivers who operate in defined working environments, in compliance with legislative requirements, codes and practices.

This unit standard will recognise the essential knowledge and skills required to operate safely within a specific working environment.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the layout and condition of a specific operating environment.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of train authorisation systems within a specific operating environment.
  • Control movement of rail vehicles within a specific operating environment. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    It is assumed that learners are already competent in:
  • Communications at NQF Level 3. 
    		•

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Demonstrate knowledge of the layout and condition of a specific operating environment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    The operating environment is described in terms of its condition and layout, and the specific features that affect safe operation. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
  • Operating environments include but are not limited to marshalling yard, maintenance yard, locomotive depots, sidings.
  • Features include track geometry (points, stop blocks, gradients, speed restrictions, direction, rail curvature).
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Control systems relevant to movement within the specific operating environment are identified and described in terms of their implications for own operations and interfaces with other operations. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Track/s within the specific operating environment is defined in terms of its beginning and end, and required authority for movement. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Limits for the safe movement of locomotives are described in relation to the condition and layout of the operating environment. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Limits include required brake power, safe shunting speed, number of attached vehicles/train length, axle load, type of traffic.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Demonstrate knowledge of signals within a specific operating environment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Placement and purpose of signals and/or track-side indicators is identified for a given operating environment, in accordance with site design and layout. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Signals and/or track-side indicators are checked for visibility from different operating positions. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Signals and/or track-side indicators are identified and interpreted in accordance with site specific standards. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Signal and/or track-side indicators aspect during shunting is identified, and train handling adjusted accordingly to comply with movement authority. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Control movement of rail vehicles within a specific operating environment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Track is defined in terms of operating limits, in accordance with authority for movement. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Rail vehicle movements are controlled in ways appropriate to the specific layout of the environment, and in accordance with POSMOR principles. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Environment includes but is not limited to:
  • Track geometry (points, stop blocks, gradients, speed restrictions, direction, rail curvature), risks in the operating environment, stop boards, shunting limit boards, high voltage warning boards.
     
    		•

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Rail vehicle movements are controlled in accordance with control systems relevant to movement within the specific operating environment. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Signals and/or track-side indicators are used and responded to in compliance with site specific procedures and requirements for safe movement on rail. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Accreditation Options:
  • Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the relevant ETQA.
  • An individual wishing to be assessed against this unit standard may apply to an assessment agency, assessor or provider institution that has been accredited by a relevant ETQA.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with a relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard must be registered and accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.

    Moderation Option:
  • The moderation requirements of the relevant ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.

    Note:
  • The knowledge is essential for the identification and solving of problems. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.

    Note:
  • Rail operations involve team work as part of the standard safety process. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING 
    Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.

    Note:
  • Critical: The information enables effective organisation and the responsible discharge of duties. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Notes to Assessors:

    Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:
  • Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.
  • Make sure that evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.
  • Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.
  • The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.
  • The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.
  • All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

    The following particular issues should be taken into consideration when assessing against this unit standard:
  • Methods of assessment should include:
    > Written tests/case studies.
    > Oral/on-the-job.
    > In situ (on-the-job) observations.
    > Simulation.
    > Role-play/structured classroom discussions and oral tests.
  • These methods must be carefully selected based on the purpose of the assessment (for example, the written method could be used to assess knowledge or on-the-job demonstration for practical competence). 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  61849   Further Education and Training Certificate: Train Driving  Level 4  NQF Level 04  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2023-06-30  TETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.