Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

Role Description

Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. May couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Watch for and relay traffic signals. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes. May watch for dragging equipment or obstacles on rights-of-way.

Skills

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Required Knowledge

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
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.
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Roles & Responsibilities

Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.

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