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Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

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.

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

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, rules of composition, and grammar.

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.

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

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.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

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.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

Rail Transportation Workers

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.

Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.

Observe tracks from left sides of locomotives to detect obstructions on tracks.

Operate locomotives in emergency situations.

Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.

Climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes.

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

Overview

Career

What Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Do

Other Job Titles Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

Overview

Career

What Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers Do

Other Job Titles Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

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