Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Conductor
There is a conductor on every train—whether passenger or
freight, whether long or short, and whether it's traveling 1,000
miles or 1,000 feet. This is the person who is actually in charge
of the train, who is roughly equivalent to the captain of a ship at
sea. That means the conductor has to be thoroughly familiar with
both railroad operations and the train itself.
Anyone who's an Amtrak conductor has worked his or her
way up the ladder and knows a lot about railroad operations.
Every new conductor goes through an initial eight-week train-
ing program, which includes train operations, emergency pro-
cedures, passenger relations, and all of the procedures necessary
for the handling of tickets. Assuming the applicant is hired, he
or she becomes an assistant conductor, working in that capacity
for at least six months before becoming eligible for promotion.
All conductors are required to take refresher courses periodically.
As do the engineers, each conductor works a specific terri-
tory, usually a section of the route just a few hundred miles long.
He knows every switch and every crossover intimately. Conduc-
tors are required to take an annual test on the operating rules,
and that test is based on the specific territory they work. If a con-
ductor moves her residence, a new test must be taken and passed
before she can begin working the new territory. By the way, it
takes a grade of 85 percent or better to pass those tests. Conduc-
tors are also required to pass a physical exam every two years.
The conductor is in regular contact with the engineer by radio
throughout the trip and, in this manner, stays up to date on the
train's progress, track conditions, other rail traffic, and any num-
ber of other details. If there's some kind of mechanical problem
with the locomotive, it's the conductor (in consultation with the
engineer) who decides when or if the train can continue on its
way. While the train is en route, it's the conductor who must deal
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