Railway engineers are responsible for safely operating locomotives, checking equipment, and understanding the route and train handling. They must pass a written and skills test and can lose their license for serious violations.
In general, a railway engineer is responsible for the safe handling of a locomotive and compliance with railroad rules and regulations. Once the train is in motion, the engineer is responsible for acceleration and braking, as well as other handling procedures. This professional is also responsible for checking the condition of the locomotive before operation and ensuring that all equipment is working properly and ready for service. These responsibilities require the railroad engineer to have a thorough understanding of the route the train will be traveling on and he must be ready to respond to the terrain the train will be traveling over.
The railway engineer is responsible for knowing the conditions of the track and the location of the station. The engineer must be prepared to accelerate and decelerate the train in relation to grades and gradients and must be ready to react to any unforeseen changes in track conditions, including obstructions. The railway engineer must also be familiar with the specific handling characteristics of his train. For example, freight trains handle very differently from passenger trains, and an engineer must know how to handle each type of train to avoid derailments, cuts, or excessive speed.
Typically, one must become an assistant conductor, or brakeman, before becoming a railway engineer. Functions of a handbrake can include changing tracks in freight situations or collecting tickets on passenger trains. This work provides the brake with an opportunity to become familiar with trains and the operating procedures used during train operation, and the brake can become familiar with the instrumentation that a railway engineer must monitor before, during, and after the train is moving. .
To become a railway engineer, a candidate must spend a significant amount of time training. He or she will spend approximately 120 hours behind the controls of a train, under close supervision. The candidate must also be screened to ensure good vision and hearing, as well as the absence of substance abuse issues. The prospective engineer will be required to pass both a written test and a real-time skills test to gain certification as a railroad engineer. While there is no such thing as an engineer’s license, each rail company must develop its own qualification guidelines in accordance with federal rules and regulations.
An engineer can lose his license for many reasons. Some of the more serious reasons are pulling a stop sign, exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 miles per hour, operating a train under the influence of alcohol or drugs, occupying a lane without permission, and using air brakes improperly. These violations are considered serious and can lead to serious repercussions for the engineer.
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