RAIL ROAD BREAK, SIGNAL AND SWITCH OPERATOR

Job Definition:

Job Description:

• 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.

Duties and Tasks:

• 1) Inspect tracks, cars, and engines for defects and to determine service needs, sending engines and cars for repairs as necessary.
• 2) Monitor oil, air, and steam pressure gauges, and make sure water levels are adequate.
• 3) Open and close chute gates to load and unload cars.
• 4) Open and close ventilation doors.
• 5) Operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites.
• 6) Record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed.
• 7) Refuel and lubricate engines.
• 8) Set flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops in order to warn oncoming trains.
• 9) Adjust controls to regulate air-conditioning, heating, and lighting on trains for comfort of passengers.
• 10) Answer questions from passengers concerning train rules, stations, and timetable information.
• 11) Attach cables to cars being hoisted by cables or chains in mines, quarries, or industrial plants.
• 12) Collect tickets, fares, and passes from passengers.
• 13) Place passengers’ baggage in racks above seats on trains.
• 14) Provide passengers with assistance entering and exiting trains.
• 15) Repair and install rails and ties.
• 16) Climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes.
• 17) Connect air hoses to cars, using wrenches.
• 18) Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
• 19) Make minor repairs to couplings, air hoses, and journal boxes, using hand tools.
• 20) Observe signals from other crewmembers so that work activities can be coordinated.
• 21) Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
• 22) Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.
• 23) Receive oral or written instructions from yardmasters or yard conductors indicating track assignments and cars to be switched.
• 24) Ride atop cars that have been shunted, and turn handwheels to control speeds or stop cars at specified positions.
• 25) Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
• 26) Watch for and relay traffic signals to start and stop cars during shunting.

Activities:

• 1) Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• 2) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• 3) Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• 4) Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• 5) Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• 6) Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• 7) Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• 8) Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• 9) Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• 10) Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• 11) Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• 12) Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• 13) Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• 14) Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• 15) Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• 16) Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• 17) Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• 18) Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to
• accomplish tasks.
  19) Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• 20) Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals a
• nd plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.21) Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Abilities:

• 1) Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance.2) Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• 3) 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.
• 4) Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• 5) 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.
• 6) Auditory Attention — The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
• 7) 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.
• 8) Reaction Time — The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
• 9) Gross Body Coordination — The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion.
• 10) 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.
• 11) Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 12) Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
• 13) Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• 14) Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
• 15) 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.
• 16) 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.
• 17) 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.
• 18) Gross Body Equilibrium — The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• 19) Visual Color Discrimination — The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
• 20) 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.
• 21) Static Strength — The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
• 22) Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Knowledge

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