Personal Details
Education
Employment History
April 2000 - Current:
Signalling Technician (L7), Westrail (WAGR),
Perth, Western Australia.
Details : In April 2000 I moved to the outskirts of the city of Perth to take up a position as the Level 7 Signal Technician. While this position is based at the Claisebrook Depot, close to the Perth CBD, I can be called upon to work anywhere with the Urban Rail Network. My day to day activities are the general signalling maintenance of the Urban Rail Network. More soon...
In December 2000 the Westrail freight business was sold to the Australian Railroad Group. The company was formed as a Western Australian based joint venture between Wesfarmers Limited and international rail operator Genesee & Wyoming Inc. While the links below still show Westrail (for historical reasons), they will now link you to the ARG web page.
April 1998 - April 2000:
Signalling Technician (L7), Westrail,
Northam, Western Australia.
Details : In April 1998 I was successfully appointed as the inaugural Level 7 Signalling Technician for Northam. While mainly being of a more technical nature, this position also included administrative and supervisory tasks. Since being in this position, the highlight would have been the installation of a new computer based Train Control System at Avon Yard. While utilising the original telemetry field equipment, a new GUI control system was implemented using Paragon on a Windows NT network. I was extensively involved with the testing, commissioning, and follow-up trouble-shooting of this system.
Nov 1996 - April 1998 :
Signalling Technician (L6), Westrail,
Northam, Western Australia.
Details : In November 1996 I returned to Northam to take up a position as Signalling Technician (Level 6), working primarily in the Central Section. Initially I was sent to Perth where I completed a C.E. Safeworking Course, High Voltage Switching Course and a St. Johns Basic First Aid Course. After the schooling, I took up the position in the Northam Depot. A variety of work has been undertaken, which as well as the regular maintenance, includes fault-finding throughout the district, minor new works and the installation and testing of trial apparatus. Subsequent schooling has included the Opto 22 and SCADA/PLC courses.
Jun 1990 - Nov 1996 :
Signals Technician, GEC Alstom Projects, Port Hedland, Western Australia.
Details : GEC is the prime contractor to BHP Iron Ore, responsible for the on site strategy based maintenance of all signal and communications equipment operated by the company at their ore processing and ship loading facilities, as well as over 700 kilometres of railroad. Upon arrival with GEC I was assigned to the main-line section which incorporated 3 passing loops and powerhouses, and full automatic and semi-automatic signal locations, spread over 100 kms of track. In association with staff changes, I was moved to the Nelson Point Yard section where I maintained over 70 switch machines and affiliated equipment. My highlights with GEC included the construction and installation of an EPC Solid State Interlocking Cubicle and a Relay Room Power Rack, and the establishment of the Nelson Point Yard Control System. The NPYCS involved :
Jan 1986 - May 1990 :
Safeworking (Signals) Technician, Westrail,
Western Australia.
Details : After completing Westrail’s Safeworking Technicians Course in 1985, I was selected to become a Relief Technician. During this time I installed, maintained and rectified fault conditions, on an assortment of signalling equipment in a variety of sections throughout Westrail’s railroad network. Various in-house courses were also attended in this time, including the Civil Engineering Safeworking, Reed Track and Interlocking Control Systems Courses. Following three years of relief in Class 1 and 2 sections, I was promoted to Class 1 Technician, where I maintained the Toodyay West section for 1 year. Some of the apparatus that I have worked on includes :
Jan 1985 - Jan 1986 :
Electrical Installer, Westrail,
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
Details : For approximately 1 year, I serviced domestic and industrial installations within the Kalgoorlie region. This position included totally rewiring 3 houses, general domestic work and renovating a temporary construction camp.
Jan 1981 - Jan 1985 :
Apprentice Electrical Fitter, Westrail, based at the Midland Workshops, Western Australia.
Details : I have completed a 4 year apprenticeship in the field of Electrical Fitting at Westrail. Whilst serving my apprenticeship, I enjoyed the regular transfers to different departments to experience a variety of equipment. These different areas included the relay workshop, locomotive workshops, winding shop, refrigeration section, auto-electrical section, motor repair bench, communications workshop and numerous signalling sections.
Training
Qualifications
Interests
Computers - Operation, configuring and general learning about computers and related applications and accessories. This includes hardware upgrades, software installations and many aspects of the Internet and networking. I have installed and configured Windows (3.1, 9x & NT) on a variety of machines and I am currently experimenting with Debian and other Linux systems. At the moment I have a small home network running a mix of Linux and Windows machines behind a Linux firewall.
