Rail Yard Conductor Overview
Required Education and Training To Become a Rail Yard Conductor
Best Schools to become a Rail Yard Conductor in U.S. 2024
Johnson County Community College
In-State Tuition:$2,400
Out-of-State Tuition:$5,088
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:27%
Total Enrollment:16,497
International Air and Hospitality Academy
In-State Tuition:$N/A
Out-of-State Tuition:$N/A
Admission Rate:N/A
Graduation Rate:73%
Total Enrollment:133
Texas Southern University
In-State Tuition:$6,941
Out-of-State Tuition:$19,677
Admission Rate:97%
Graduation Rate:26%
Total Enrollment:8,632
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
In-State Tuition:$12,104
Out-of-State Tuition:$31,754
Admission Rate:57%
Graduation Rate:86%
Total Enrollment:38,170
Rail Yard Conductor Job 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.
Required Skills and Competencies To Become a Rail Yard Conductor
Job Duties for Rail Yard Conductors
Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
Technologies and Skills Used by Rail Yard Conductors
Expert system software
- Electronic train management systems ETMS
Route navigation software
- Route mapping software
Time accounting software
- Time tracking software
Basic Skills
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it