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Train conductors are still in demand, with responsibilities including ensuring the smooth running of a train and supervising crew and passengers. They are not to be confused with engineers, who operate the locomotive. Educational and vocational programs are available to gain the necessary skills.
While the historical image of a train conductor may be a little outdated, there are still few job openings for conductors in the United States and the rest of the world. Many people find being a train conductor to be an incredibly rewarding job, especially if they have a natural love of trains. Being a train conductor means being in charge of the smooth running of a train, as well as dealing with the entire crew and ensuring that passengers or cargo arrive at their destination intact.
A train conductor should not be confused with an engineer, who is the person actually in charge of operating the locomotive. Both the engineer and the driver have joint responsibility for the proper functioning of the mechanical train itself, but the driver has the additional responsibility of ensuring that the passengers are taken care of and that the rest of the crew are doing their jobs. In some cases, a driver may be retained on a contract that requires him to, over time, work to become an engineer as well.
In times past, the conductor would sit in the carriage of a train, helping to supervise the running of the train. He or she would be responsible for the train’s support staff, including the front and rear scouts and men, as well as any minor conductors who might be there to help. In recent years, the carriage on most trains has been completely eliminated as technology has made it redundant. As a result, the train conductor was transferred to the locomotive with the engineer. Over time, most of the positions under the conductor were also removed, with no need for soldiers or flagmen in more modern trains.
Without the need for that extra staff, the vast majority of trains on the tracks have just two crew members: a conductor and an engineer. In recent years, in an attempt to further reduce costs, many trains now have only one engineer, causing them to also assume the role of driver. Since traditionally all engineers had to be drivers, this makes sense as they are necessarily familiar with the job and its responsibilities.
Larger passenger trains, especially in Europe and places like India, still use conductors, of course, and their job is to collect tickets and supervise staff such as porters, maids, cooks and other support staff. On trains where they still exist, a train conductor serves as the link between the railway company and the public it serves. As a result, it can be exciting and fun work, if the work is at hand.
There are educational and vocational programs available to give you the skills and certificates you need to get a job easier as a train conductor, and most programs take one to two years. Getting work in the rail industry can also help, as it will familiarize you with the ins and outs of the business, even if you are only working as a gardener. Traditionally, progression in the world of railroads is bottom-up, so the surest way to become a train conductor is simply to get the easiest job available and move from step to step until you finally reach that end. .
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