Job Summary
A conductor’s primary responsibility is to safely coordinate train crews on a freight train, place rail cars to facilitate loading and unloading, and makeup/breakdown trains in a rail yard, customer facility or similar locations.
To see more of what a day-in-the-life video looks like, please see here.
Primary Activities and Responsibilities
- Ensure compliance with all train orders, signals, railroad and safety rules and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations
- Be able to safely perform all job responsibilities
- Inspect all equipment on cars prior to departures
- Receive and transmit information by radio and telephone
- Read and understand bulletins, work orders, and switch lists
- Assist with the coupling and uncoupling of cars, operate switches, and make minor repairs to railcars, including replacing heavy couplings or air brake hoses
- Work with customers to ensure accurate movement and placement of cars; delivers excellent customer service by identifying customer needs and meeting or exceeding expectations
- Maintain awareness of surrounding area and suspicious activity to ensure rail safety
- Operate locomotive equipment through the use of remote control device
- Quickly and repeatedly make precise adjustments in moving the controls of a machine or vehicle to exact positions
- Comprehend color and/or hand signals and systems
- Review instructions from dispatchers and other transportation employees, and discuss with locomotive engineer
- Miscellaneous activities and responsibilities as assigned by manager
Pay Rate
Pay Rate CSRA
- Training rate while in Atlanta $991.20 weekly
- OJT Training rate $1,189.44 weekly
- After OJT, guaranteed extraboard pay of $1002.28 weekly
- $67,000 average first year earnings including training. After training first year conductor average $72k and 5% progression rate per year to achieve full rate within 5 years per the collective bargaining agreement.
Training
You will attend four weeks of training at the Railroad Education & Development Institute (REDI) in Atlanta, GA. CSX will pay for travel, lodging and meals. You will complete an additional 9-15 weeks of on-the-job training at your assigned location.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- At least 18 years old
- One year verifiable work experience
- Ability to read and comprehend all instructions including operating rules, bulletins, regulatory documents and other written communications
- Proficient verbal and written communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
- One or more years of outside work exp (e.g. construction, heavy equipment op, farming,etc)
- Experience working in a safety sensitive environment
Physical Requirements
- Must be able to mount and dismount moving equipment
- Stoop/bend/kneel/crouch/crawl/balance/climb
- Work in cramped, confined, enclosed, or awkward places
- Ride on the outside of rail equipment for long periods of time
- Walk long distances over uneven terrain
- Demonstrate auditory and visual acuity/tracking/inspection
- Must meet color vision and hearing requirements as described in FRA Regulations
- Frequent lifting up to 50 lbs
Basic Competencies
- Verbal comprehension (Understand oral and written communications)
- Communication skills (provide clear instructions/directions)
- Reasoning skills (problem solving and troubleshooting skills)
Job Requirements
- Work safely to prevent on the job accidents and injuries
- Wear protective equipment such as hard hat, hearing protection, or safety-toe boots
- Work hours may include a nonstandard workweek, overtime, and various shift work
- Work hours are based on seniority, new hires primarily work nights, weekends, and holidays
- Must be able to safely report to work within two hours of being notified to report in
- Complete annual training and pass safety rules examinations
- Federal regulations require random testing for drugs and/or alcohol
- Must pass all required assessments
- Must pass a background screening
- Strict disciplinary policy regarding inability to report to work within proper time frame
- Advance to engineer position when required, based on seniority
- This position is governed by a collective bargaining agreement and membership is req.
- Must pass a post-offer medical examination, including a drug test