CompGeo Locomotive Engineers Salary Survey Benchmark Job Description and Competencies - Transportation Occupation Group

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

Summary Job Description

Tasks

Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.

Monitor gauges or meters that measure speed, amperage, battery charge, or air pressure in brakelines or in main reservoirs.

Observe tracks to detect obstructions.

Interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives.

Receive starting signals from conductors and use controls such as throttles or air brakes to drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas turbine-electric locomotives.

Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.

Operate locomotives to transport freight or passengers between stations or to assemble or disassemble trains within rail yards.

Respond to emergency conditions or breakdowns, following applicable safety procedures and rules.

Check to ensure that brake examination tests are conducted at shunting stations.

Call out train signals to assistants to verify meanings.

Inspect locomotives to verify adequate fuel, sand, water, or other supplies before each run or to check for mechanical problems.

Prepare reports regarding any problems encountered, such as accidents, signaling problems, unscheduled stops, or delays.

Check to ensure that documentation, such as procedure manuals or logbooks, are in the driver's cab and available for staff use.

Inspect locomotives after runs to detect damaged or defective equipment.

Drive diesel-electric rail-detector cars to transport rail-flaw-detecting machines over tracks.

Monitor train loading procedures to ensure that freight or rolling stock are loaded or unloaded without damage.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

Important Knowledge Competencies

Competency Description

Transportation

Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

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.

English Language

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

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.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

Important Skill Competencies

Competency Description

Operation Monitoring

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

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

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.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring

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

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Judgment and Decision Making

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

Complex Problem Solving

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

Time Management

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

Writing

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Learning Strategies

Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.

Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Troubleshooting

Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

Important Ability Competencies

Competency Description

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Response Orientation

The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.

Depth Perception

The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Reaction Time

The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Perceptual Speed

The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.

Multilimb Coordination

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Inductive Reasoning

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Flexibility of Closure

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

Rate Control

The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.

Auditory Attention

The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Arm-Hand Steadiness

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Finger Dexterity

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Time Sharing

The ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).

Hearing Sensitivity

The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Visualization

The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Visual Color Discrimination

The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.

Written Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Number Facility

The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.

Speed of Closure

The ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.

Peripheral Vision

The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are looking ahead.

Glare Sensitivity

The ability to see objects in the presence of glare or bright lighting.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Spatial Orientation

The ability to know your location in relation to the environment or to know where other objects are in relation to you.

Speed of Limb Movement

The ability to quickly move the arms and legs.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

Tools/Technology Example

Product Category

Data entry software

Data base user interface and query software

Electronic train management systems ETMS

Expert system software

Route mapping software

Route navigation software

Time tracking software

Time accounting software

Adjustable hand wrenches

Adjustable wrenches

Adjustable widemouth pliers

Automatic track switching systems

Rail switching systems

Car coupling devices

Rail couplers

Claw hammers

Hammers

Desktop computers

Diesel freight engines

Diesel freight locomotives

Diesel passenger engines

Diesel passenger locomotives

Electric freight engines

Electric freight locomotives

Electric passenger engines

Electric passenger locomotives

Freight car air brakes

Train braking systems

Gas-turbine-electric engines

Electric freight locomotives

Locomotive air brakes

Train braking systems

Manual rail switches

Rail switching systems

On-board computers

Thin client computers

Personal computers

Phillips head screwdrivers

Screwdrivers

Socket wrench sets

Socket sets

Steam engines

Straight screwdrivers

Screwdrivers

Tape measures

Two way radios

Two-way end of train devices

Radio frequency transmitters or receivers

Warning horns

Vehicle horns

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

Prerequisite Qualification Category

Education and Experience Level

Required Level of Education

High School Diploma (or GED or High School Equivalence Certificate)

On-the-Job Training

Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-the-Job Training

Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

On-Site or In-Plant Training

Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Related Work Experience

Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

Related Work Experience

None

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

Alternate Job Title(s)

Conductor

Diesel Engine Operator

Diesel Engineer

Diesel Locomotive Engineer

Engine Pilot

Engineman

Freight Engineer

Locomotive Engineer

Locomotive Operator

Lokie Driver

Lokie Engineer

Motor Driver

Motor Operator

Motor Runner

Motorman

Narrow Gauge Engineer

Narrow Gauge Operator

Operator

Passenger Locomotive Engineer

Pilot

Rail Car Operator

Rail Detector Car Operator

Railroad Engineer

Railroad Operating Engineer

Railway Engineer

Relay Motorman

Train Engineer

Train Operator

Trainman

Trainmaster

Transportation Specialist

Trip Motor Operator

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Locomotive Engineers

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CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies

Locomotive Engineers

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