Air Traffic Controllers
Airfield Operations Specialists
Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicl...
Locomotive Engineers
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
CAREER
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Overview
Salary Median (2020)
$63,960
Projected Job Growth (2019-2029)
+4.7% (slower than the average)
Career
What Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Do
Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within railroad yard, industrial plant, or similar location. Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight trains. Yardmasters review train schedules and switching orders and coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains and yard switching.
Other Job Titles Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters May Have
Conductor, Freight Conductor, Railroad Conductor, Yardmaster
Tasks & Responsibilities May Include
- Signal engineers to begin train runs, stop trains, or change speed, using telecommunications equipment or hand signals.
- Confer with engineers regarding train routes, timetables, and cargoes, and to discuss alternative routes when there are rail defects or obstructions.
- Receive information regarding train or rail problems from dispatchers or from electronic monitoring devices.
- Receive instructions from dispatchers regarding trains' routes, timetables, and cargoes.
- Direct and instruct workers engaged in yard activities, such as switching tracks, coupling and uncoupling cars, and routing inbound and outbound traffic.
Education
Level of Education Attained by Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Most common level of education among people in
this career: High school diploma or equivalent (86%)
High school diploma or equivalent
Post-secondary certificate
Associate's degree
Majors Related to Career
This page includes information from theO*NET 26.1 Databaseby the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under theCC BY 4.0license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
