RAILROAD INSPECTOR

Job Definition:

Job Description:

• Inspect railroad equipment, roadbed, and track to ensure safe transport of people or cargo.

Duties and Tasks:

• 1) Inspects signals and track wiring to determine continuity of electrical connections.
• 2) Examines roadbed, switches, fishplates, rails, and ties to detect damage or wear.
• 3) Replaces defective brake rod pins and tightens safety appliances.
• 4) Notifies train dispatcher of railcar to be moved to shop for repair.
• 5) Makes minor repairs.
• 6) Packs brake bearings with grease.
• 7) Examines locomotives and cars to detect damage or structural defects.
• 8) Inspects and tests completed work.
• 9) Operates switches to determine working conditions.
• 10) Tests and synchronizes rail-flaw-detection machine, using circuit tester and hand tools, and reloads machine with paper and ink.
• 11) Starts machine and signals worker to operate rail-detector car.
• 12) Prepares reports on repairs made and equipment, railcars, or roadbed needing repairs.
• 13) Tags rail cars needing immediate repair.
• 14) Fills paint container on rail-detector car used to mark section of defective rail with paint.
• 15) Directs crews to repair or replace defective equipment or to re-ballast roadbed.
• 16) Places lanterns or flags in front and rear of train to signal that inspection is being performed.
• 17) Seals leaks found during inspection that can be sealed with caulking compound.

Activities:

• 1) Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• 2) Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials,
• events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.3) Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• 4) 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.
• 5) Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• 6) Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• 7) Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• 8) 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.
• 9) Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Abilities:

• 1) 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.
• 2) Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• 3) Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• 4) Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• 5) Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• 6) 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.
• 7) Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
• 8) Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• 9) 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.
• 10) Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• 11) 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).
• 12) Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• 13) 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.
• 14) Visualization — The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
• 15) Wrist-Finger Speed — The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists.
• 16) 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.
• 17) Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance.

Knowledge

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