- Job Definition
- 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 Zone
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Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work. In some cases, an associate's or bachelor's degree could be needed.
- Interests
- Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
- Knowledge
- Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Skills
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Tasks
- Supervise and coordinate crew activities to transport freight and passengers and to provide boarding, porter, maid, and meal services to passengers.
- Supervise workers in the inspection and maintenance of mechanical equipment in order to ensure efficient and safe train operation.
- Record departure and arrival times, messages, tickets and revenue collected, and passenger accommodations and destinations.
- Inspect freight cars for compliance with sealing procedures, and record car numbers and seal numbers.
- Collect tickets, fares, or passes from passengers.
- Verify accuracy of timekeeping instruments with engineers to ensure trains depart on time.
- Instruct workers to regulate air-conditioning, lighting, and heating in passenger cars in order to ensure passengers' comfort.
- Signal engineers to begin train runs, stop trains, or change speed, using telecommunications equipment or hand signals.
- Receive information regarding train or rail problems from dispatchers or from electronic monitoring devices.
- Direct and instruct workers engaged in yard activities, such as switching tracks, coupling and uncoupling cars, and routing inbound and outbound traffic.
- Keep records of the contents and destination of each train car, and make sure that cars are added or removed at proper points on routes.
- Operate controls to activate track switches and traffic signals.
- Instruct workers to set warning signals in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops.
- Direct engineers to move cars to fit planned train configurations, combining or separating cars to make up or break up trains.
- Receive instructions from dispatchers regarding trains' routes, timetables, and cargoes.
- Wages
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In 2008, the California average annual wage was $58,040.00.
Most people employed in this occupation were paid between $30,860.00 and $82,540.00.
- Outlook
During 2006, there were approximately 2,400 people employed in this field in California. It is projected that there will be 2,800 employed in 2016. This occupation will have about 40 openings due to growth and about 100 replacement openings for approximately 140 total annual openings. This occupation .
- Colleges and Training
- There are currently no programs listed for this occupation.
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