Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

• Summary

• Details

Work Activities

• Receive oral or written instructions from yardmasters or yard conductors indicating track assignments and cars to be switched.
• Climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes.
• Inspect locomotives to detect damaged or worn parts.
• Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
• Observe tracks from left sides of locomotives to detect obstructions on tracks.
• Set flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.
• Provide passengers with assistance entering and exiting trains.
• Operate locomotives in emergency situations.
• Signal other workers to set brakes and to throw track switches when switching cars from trains to way stations.
• Monitor oil, temperature, and pressure gauges on dashboards to determine if engines are operating safely and efficiently.
• Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
• Make minor repairs to couplings, air hoses, and journal boxes, using hand tools.
• Refuel and lubricate engines.
• Inspect tracks, cars, and engines for defects and to determine service needs, sending engines and cars for repairs as necessary.
• Record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed.
• Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
• Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
• Connect air hoses to cars, using wrenches.
• Record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed.
• Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.
• Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.
• Start diesel engines to warm engines before runs.
• Inspect tracks, cars, and engines for defects and to determine service needs, sending engines and cars for repairs as necessary.
• Operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites.
• Ride atop cars that have been shunted, and turn handwheels to control speeds or stop cars at specified positions.
• Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
• Check to see that trains are equipped with supplies such as fuel, water, and sand.
• Monitor oil, temperature, and pressure gauges on dashboards to determine if engines are operating safely and efficiently.

Skills

• Equipment Selection
  • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
• Quality Control Analysis
  • Testing how well a product or service works.
• Judgment and Decision Making
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
• Social Perceptiveness
  • Understanding people's reactions.
• Complex Problem Solving
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
• Active Listening
  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
• Negotiation
  • Bringing people together to solve differences.
• Programming
  • Writing computer programs.
• Management of Personnel Resources
  • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
• Critical Thinking
  • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
• Operations Monitoring
  • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
• Technology Design
  • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
• Speaking
  • Talking to others.
• Systems Evaluation
  • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
• Time Management
  • Managing your time and the time of other people.
• Management of Financial Resources
  • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
• Monitoring
  • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
• Operations Analysis
  • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
• Management of Material Resources
  • Managing equipment and materials.
• Systems Analysis
  • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
• Instructing
  • Teaching people how to do something.
• Mathematics
  • Using math to solve problems.
• Persuasion
  • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
• Installation
  • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
• Reading Comprehension
  • Reading work-related information.
• Learning Strategies
  • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
• Equipment Maintenance
  • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
• Science
  • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
• Repairing
  • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
• Active Learning
  • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
• Service Orientation
  • Looking for ways to help people.
• Operation and Control
  • Using equipment or systems.
• Writing
  • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
• Coordination
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
• Troubleshooting
  • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

Abilities

• Arm-Hand Steadiness
  • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
• Trunk Strength
  • Using your lower back and stomach.
• Multilimb Coordination
  • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Dynamic Strength
  • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
• Explosive Strength
  • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
• Visualization
  • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
• Originality
  • Creating new and original ideas.
• Speed of Limb Movement
  • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
• Selective Attention
  • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
• Rate Control
  • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
• Speech Recognition
  • Recognizing spoken words.
• Spatial Orientation
  • Knowing where things are around you.
• Category Flexibility
  • Grouping things in different ways.
• Oral Comprehension
  • Listening and understanding what people say.
• Inductive Reasoning
  • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
• Visual Color Discrimination
  • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
• Night Vision
  • Seeing at night or under low light.
• Stamina
  • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
• Perceptual Speed
  • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
• Mathematical Reasoning
  • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
• Speed of Closure
  • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
• Time Sharing
  • Doing two or more things at the same time.
• Manual Dexterity
  • Holding or moving items with your hands.
• Finger Dexterity
  • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
• Reaction Time
  • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
• Extent Flexibility
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Response Orientation
  • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
• Gross Body Coordination
  • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
• Control Precision
  • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
• Written Comprehension
  • Reading and understanding what is written.
• Glare Sensitivity
  • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
• Memorization
  • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
• Problem Sensitivity
  • Noticing when problems happen.
• Far Vision
  • Seeing details that are far away.
• Static Strength
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
• Gross Body Equilibrium
  • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
• Hearing Sensitivity
  • Telling the difference between sounds.
• Peripheral Vision
  • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
• Information Ordering
  • Ordering or arranging things.
• Speech Clarity
  • Speaking clearly.
• Fluency of Ideas
  • Coming up with lots of ideas.
• Number Facility
  • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
• Written Expression
  • Communicating by writing.
• Near Vision
  • Seeing details up close.
• Auditory Attention
  • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
• Depth Perception
  • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
• Oral Expression
  • Communicating by speaking.
• Wrist-Finger Speed
  • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
• Dynamic Flexibility
  • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• Sound Localization
  • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
• Deductive Reasoning
  • Using rules to solve problems.
• Flexibility of Closure
  • Seeing hidden patterns.

Knowledge

• Foreign Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
• Transportation
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Administration and Management
  • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Physics
  • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
• Sales and Marketing
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Building and Construction
  • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Economics and Accounting
  • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Design
  • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
• Telecommunications
  • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Psychology
  • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Education and Training
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• English Language
  • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
• Chemistry
  • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Engineering and Technology
  • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
• History and Archeology
  • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
• Mathematics
  • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Medicine and Dentistry
  • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
• Fine Arts
  • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
• Philosophy and Theology
  • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
• Geography
  • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
• Law and Government
  • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Administrative
  • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
• Mechanical
  • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Personnel and Human Resources
  • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Therapy and Counseling
  • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
• Communications and Media
  • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Sociology and Anthropology
  • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
• 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.
• Production and Processing
  • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
• Food Production
  • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
• 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.
• Computers and Electronics
  • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Biology
  • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Education

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

1 to 12 months on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

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Education and Training Opportunities

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Pay

Washington Annual Salary

61210/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

29.43/hr

Washington Employment Trends

Currently Employed

470

Yearly Projected Openings

40

Personality

Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:

• Cautiousness
• Attention to Detail
• Dependability
• Integrity
• Stress Tolerance
• Self-Control

Tools

• Accelerometers
• Ammeters
• Battery hydrometer
• Circuit breakers
• Desktop computers
• Diesel freight locomotives
• Diesel generators
• Electric freight locomotives
• Electrical control panels for generators
• Fire extinguishers
• Flags or accessories
• Flares
• Freight rail cars
• Heavy rail turnout switch
• Kerosene or propane or natural gas or butane lantern
• Oil gauges
• Pilot valves
• Pressure indicators
• Protective gloves
• Rail couplers
• Rail switching systems
• Railway or tramway maintenance or service vehicle
• Safety boots
• Safety glasses
• Safety horns
• Safety vests
• Scaffolding
• Screwdrivers
• Specialty wrenches
• Speedometers
• Steam engines
• Temperature gauge
• Train braking systems
• Two way radios
• Voltage or current meters
• Wheel chocks
• Winches

Technology

• Data base user interface and query software
• Electronic mail software
• Expert system software
• Route navigation software
• Spreadsheet software
• Time accounting software