CompGeo Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators Salary Survey Benchmark Job Description and Competencies - Transportation Occupation Group

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

Summary Job Description

Tasks

Operate railroad track switches. Couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Signal engineers by hand or flagging. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes.

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 crewmembers so that work activities can be coordinated.

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

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

Receive oral or written instructions from yardmasters or yard conductors indicating track assignments and cars to be switched.

Climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes.

Set flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops in order to warn oncoming trains.

Inspect tracks, cars, and engines for defects and to determine service needs, sending engines and cars for repairs as necessary.

Make minor repairs to couplings, air hoses, and journal boxes, using hand tools.

Connect air hoses to cars, using wrenches.

Operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites.

Refuel and lubricate engines.

Watch for and relay traffic signals to start and stop cars during shunting.

Monitor oil, air, and steam pressure gauges, and make sure water levels are adequate.

Ride atop cars that have been shunted, and turn handwheels to control speeds or stop cars at specified positions.

Adjust controls to regulate air-conditioning, heating, and lighting on trains for comfort of passengers.

Record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed.

Provide passengers with assistance entering and exiting trains.

Answer questions from passengers concerning train rules, stations, and timetable information.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

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.

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.

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.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

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.

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.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

Important Skill Competencies

Competency Description

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.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Monitoring

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

Operation Monitoring

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

Critical Thinking

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

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Judgment and Decision Making

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

Time Management

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

Complex Problem Solving

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

Troubleshooting

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

Quality Control Analysis

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

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.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

Important Ability Competencies

Competency Description

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

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.

Control Precision

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

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.

Near Vision

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

Auditory Attention

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

Oral Comprehension

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

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.

Reaction Time

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

Trunk Strength

The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

Gross Body Coordination

The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.

Visualization

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

Selective Attention

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

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.

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.

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.

Static Strength

The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

Extent Flexibility

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Gross Body Equilibrium

The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.

Visual Color Discrimination

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

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.

Speech Recognition

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

Written Comprehension

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

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.

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.

Hearing Sensitivity

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

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

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).

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.

Written Expression

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

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.

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.

Stamina

The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

Prerequisite Qualification Category

Education and Experience Level

Required Level of Education

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

Related Work Experience

None

On-the-Job Training

Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months

On-Site or In-Plant Training

Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training

Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

Alternate Job Title(s)

Air Brake Operator

Air Hose Coupler

Brake Holder

Brake Rider

Brakeman

Car Coupler

Car Hopper

Car Rider

Car Runner

Car Shifter

Car Shunter

Carman

Conductor

Coupler

Dinkey Brakeman

Dukey Rider

Engineer

Enginehouse Brakeman

Flagger

Flagman

Freight Brake Operator

Freight Brakeman

Freight Conductor

Gang Rider

Headman

Lineman Apprentice

Locomotive Engineer

Locomotive Operator Helper

Locomotive Switch Operator

Motor Brakeman

Narrow Gauge Brakeman

Nipper

Passenger Brakeman

Passenger Train Braker

Patcher

Railcar Brake Operator

Railroad Brake Operator

Railroad Brakeman

Railroad Signal Operator

Railroad Signal and Switch Operator

Railroad Switchman

Railroad Yard Worker

Railway Switch Operator

Railway Switchman

Rider

Road Freight Brake Coupler

Rope Rider

Set Rider

Skates Operator

Skatesman

Snapper

Swamper

Switch Coupler

Switch Foreman

Switch Operator

Switch Tender

Switching Operator

Switchman

Terminal Carman

Track Helper

Track Supervisor

Trailer

Train Brake Operator

Train Brakeman

Train Braker

Train Crew Member

Trainman

Trains Service Conductor

Transportation Specialist

Trip Rider

Tub Rider

Yard Brakeman

Yard Coupler

Yard Person

Yard Switch Operator

CompGeo Occupation Group: Transportation

Job Family: Railroad

Benchmark Title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

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CompGeo Salary Survey Benchmark Job Summary and Competencies

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators

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