Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters

Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight train. Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within yard of railroad, industrial plant, or similar location. Yardmasters coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains, yard switching, and review train schedules and switching orders.

Job Task

• Directs and instructs workers engaged in yard activities, such as switching track, coupling/uncoupling cars, and routing inbound/outbound traffic.
• Coordinates crew activities to transport and provide boarding, porter, maid, and meal services to passengers.
• Signals engineer to begin train run, stop train, or change speed, using radiotelephone, lantern, teletypewriter, or hand movement.
• Reviews schedules, switching orders, way bills, and shipping records to obtain cargo loading and unloading information.
• Confers with traffic control personnel, engineer, and other workers engaged in transporting freight to receive and convey instructions.
• Observes and communicates with passengers and instructs workers to regulate air-conditioning, lighting, and heating to ensure passenger safety and comfort.
• Observes lights on panelboard to monitor location of trains.
• Operates controls to electrically activate track switches and traffic signals.
• Inspects or supervises workers in inspection and maintenance of mechanical equipment to ensure efficient and safe train operation.
• Collects tickets, fares, or passes from passengers, answers questions concerning train rules, regulations, and schedules, and provides destination information.
• Inspects freight cars for compliance with sealing procedures, records car and corresponding seal number, and confirms route and destination information.
• Verifies accuracy of timekeeping instruments with engineer to assure station departure time complies with timetable schedules.
• Records departure and arrival times, messages, tickets and revenue collected, and passenger accommodations and destinations.
• Documents and prepares reports of accidents, unscheduled stops, or delays at completion of train run.
• Charts train movements to estimate arrival times.
• Observes yard traffic to determine tracks available to accommodate inbound and outbound traffic.
• Instructs workers to set warning signals in front and rear of train during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.

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