What Does it Take to Be a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster?
Job Description & Duties 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.
Life As a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster: What Do They Do?
- Record departure and arrival times, messages, tickets and revenue collected, and passenger accommodations and destinations.
- Inspect each car periodically during runs.
- Collect tickets, fares, or passes from passengers.
- Observe yard traffic to determine tracks available to accommodate inbound and outbound traffic.
- Receive instructions from dispatchers regarding trains' routes, timetables, and cargoes.
- Supervise and coordinate crew activities to transport freight and passengers and to provide boarding, porter, maid, and meal services to passengers.
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What a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster Should Know
These are the skills Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters say are the most useful in their careers:
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
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.
Types of Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster
- Road Conductor
- Freight Trainperson
- Sleeping Car Conductor
- Ticket Collector
- Road Freight Conductor
What Kind of Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 41,800 jobs for Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,700 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster are South Carolina, Texas, and Nebraska. Watch out if you plan on working in Alaska, Louisiana, or Oregon. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Do Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Make A Lot Of Money?
The average yearly salary of a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster ranges between $44,690 and $95,330.
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters who work in Maryland, California, or Wyoming, make the highest salaries.
How much do Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $61,850 |
| Arizona | $56,130 |
| Arkansas | $61,660 |
| California | $75,170 |
| District of Columbia | $66,770 |
| Florida | $62,260 |
| Georgia | $59,700 |
| Idaho | $61,060 |
| Illinois | $68,410 |
| Indiana | $62,370 |
| Kansas | $65,260 |
| Kentucky | $52,230 |
| Maine | $62,130 |
| Maryland | $77,790 |
| Massachusetts | $73,950 |
| Michigan | $62,460 |
| Minnesota | $69,500 |
| Missouri | $66,910 |
| Montana | $63,050 |
| Nebraska | $66,910 |
| Nevada | $67,010 |
| New Hampshire | $40,690 |
| New Jersey | $70,500 |
| New Mexico | $68,350 |
| New York | $66,560 |
| North Carolina | $56,380 |
| Ohio | $66,830 |
| Oklahoma | $42,680 |
| Oregon | $70,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,110 |
| South Carolina | $60,540 |
| South Dakota | $66,880 |
| Tennessee | $68,900 |
| Texas | $69,560 |
| Utah | $59,440 |
| Virginia | $68,130 |
| Washington | $67,560 |
| West Virginia | $62,080 |
| Wisconsin | $67,840 |
| Wyoming | $72,660 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters:
- Microsoft Office
- Inventory tracking software
How to Become a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster
Individuals working as a Railroad Conductor or Yardmaster have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Are Employed
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters work in the following industries:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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