Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters

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.

Also Known As:

Conductor Freight Conductor Railroad Conductor Train Master Trainman Yardmaster

Wages

Hourly

Annual wages for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in United States

Job Outlook Below Average

New job opportunities are less likely in the future

United States 2033 Projected Employment

41,900

2% Change From 2023

Explore Locomotive Engineers video

Tasks you might complete in a day.

Arrange for the removal of defective cars from trains at stations or stops.
Document and prepare reports of accidents, unscheduled stops, or delays.
Observe yard traffic to determine tracks available to accommodate inbound and outbound traffic.
Record departure and arrival times, messages, tickets and revenue collected, and passenger accommodations and destinations.
Operate controls to activate track switches and traffic signals.
Supervise and coordinate crew activities to transport freight and passengers and to provide boarding, porter, maid, and meal services to passengers.
Review schedules, switching orders, way bills, and shipping records to obtain cargo loading and unloading information and to plan work.
Receive information regarding train or rail problems from dispatchers or from electronic monitoring devices.
Inspect freight cars for compliance with sealing procedures, and record car numbers and seal numbers.
Receive instructions from dispatchers regarding trains' routes, timetables, and cargoes.
Inspect each car periodically during runs.
Direct and instruct workers engaged in yard activities, such as switching tracks, coupling and uncoupling cars, and routing inbound and outbound traffic.
Supervise workers in the inspection and maintenance of mechanical equipment to ensure efficient and safe train operation.
Direct engineers to move cars to fit planned train configurations, combining or separating cars to make up or break up trains.
Instruct workers to set warning signals in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops.
Confirm routes and destination information for freight cars.
Signal engineers to begin train runs, stop trains, or change speed, using telecommunications equipment or hand signals.
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.
Verify accuracy of timekeeping instruments with engineers to ensure trains depart on time.
Confer with engineers regarding train routes, timetables, and cargoes, and to discuss alternative routes when there are rail defects or obstructions.
Inspect freight cars for compliance with sealing procedures, and record car numbers and seal numbers.

Subject areas you may need to master.

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.
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.
Economics and Accounting - Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
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.
Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
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.
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.
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.
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
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.
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
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.
History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Fine Arts - Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
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.
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Strengths you may need in this role.

Mathematics - Using math to solve problems.
Monitoring - Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Social Perceptiveness - Understanding people's reactions.
Judgment and Decision Making - Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Speaking - Talking to others.
Writing - Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Coordination - Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Systems Evaluation - Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Management of Financial Resources - Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Systems Analysis - Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Quality Control Analysis - Testing how well a product or service works.
Learning Strategies - Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Active Learning - Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Equipment Maintenance - Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Programming - Writing computer programs.
Critical Thinking - Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Equipment Selection - Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Operation and Control - Using equipment or systems.
Active Listening - Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Operations Analysis - Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Persuasion - Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Complex Problem Solving - Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Instructing - Teaching people how to do something.
Reading Comprehension - Reading work-related information.
Science - Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Negotiation - Bringing people together to solve differences.
Technology Design - Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Troubleshooting - Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Service Orientation - Looking for ways to help people.
Installation - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Time Management - Managing your time and the time of other people.
Management of Personnel Resources - Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Management of Material Resources - Managing equipment and materials.
Trunk Strength - Using your lower back and stomach.
Auditory Attention - Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Written Comprehension - Reading and understanding what is written.
Inductive Reasoning - Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Written Expression - Communicating by writing.
Explosive Strength - Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Originality - Creating new and original ideas.
Spatial Orientation - Knowing where things are around you.
Control Precision - Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Speed of Limb Movement - Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Extent Flexibility - Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Multilimb Coordination - Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Hearing Sensitivity - Telling the difference between sounds.
Oral Comprehension - Listening and understanding what people say.
Deductive Reasoning - Using rules to solve problems.
Rate Control - Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Gross Body Equilibrium - Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Speech Recognition - Recognizing spoken words.
Depth Perception - Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Speech Clarity - Speaking clearly.
Speed of Closure - Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Reaction Time - Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Near Vision - Seeing details up close.
Oral Expression - Communicating by speaking.
Response Orientation - Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Static Strength - Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Flexibility of Closure - Seeing hidden patterns.
Gross Body Coordination - Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Fluency of Ideas - Coming up with lots of ideas.
Mathematical Reasoning - Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Stamina - Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Number Facility - Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Information Ordering - Ordering or arranging things.
Visualization - Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Far Vision - Seeing details that are far away.
Glare Sensitivity - Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Category Flexibility - Grouping things in different ways.
Time Sharing - Doing two or more things at the same time.
Arm-Hand Steadiness - Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Perceptual Speed - Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Manual Dexterity - Holding or moving items with your hands.
Peripheral Vision - Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Visual Color Discrimination - Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Night Vision - Seeing at night or under low light.
Dynamic Strength - Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Problem Sensitivity - Noticing when problems happen.
Memorization - Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Finger Dexterity - Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Wrist-Finger Speed - Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Selective Attention - Paying attention to something without being distracted.
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.