Conductor​/Engineer - Arlington

Conductor/Engineer – Arlington, OR & Wallula, WA (Watco)

Keep the world’s supply chain moving. That’s what the Watco team does every day at our short line railroads, switching sites, terminals, ports, and logistics hubs. Whether you’re at one of these locations or in a support‑services role, there’s one thread that ties everyone together. We’re all on the same team. One Watco.

• Outstanding culture recognized by Forbes and Newsweek
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Paid on‑the‑job training with peer trainers
• Operations training at the Safe Performance Center in Birmingham, Alabama
• Leadership and development programs offered through Watco University
• Career advancement opportunities

The Conductor/Engineer position controls and coordinates train movements while switching railcars in a yard or industrial plant to facilitate safe and efficient unloading/loading. This manual labor position requires proficiency in the following skills, duties, and requirements within a prescribed training and introductory period.

Day in the Life –

• Demonstrate predictable, reliable, and timely attendance.
• Follow written and verbal directions to complete assigned tasks on schedule.
• Read, write, and communicate in English and understand basic math.
• Learn from directions, observations, and mistakes and apply procedures using good judgment.
• Read switching orders from designated person.
• Supervise and coordinate the activities of train crews.
• Receive oral or written instructions from Manager or Customer indicating which cars are to be switched.
• Notify engineer of switching orders and, thereby, which cars are to be moved to specified locations of yard, using radio, telephone, verbal or hand signals.
• Talk to crew or other yard workers via radio to give or receive switching information.
• Confere with train dispatcher via radio to issue or receive information or instructions concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.
• Give instructions to throw track switches and to couple and uncouple cars.
• May assist workers to throw switches or perform other activities involved when performing switching operations.
• Turn hand brake wheel or ratchet type brake as well as apply and release handbrakes.
• Observe track to detect obstructions.
• Maintain records of number, origin, destination, and cargo of cars switched.
• May coordinate activities of switching crew from locomotive cab, caboose, or control tower.
• Raise coupling lever to couple or uncouple cars.
• Throw track switches to facilitate shunting of cars and signal Engineer to move cars, using lantern, arm signals or radio.
• Connect air hose to cars when making up trains by bending and applying force.
• May set warning signals, such as flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes at front of and at rear of train during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.
• Sit or ride in cab of locomotive to observe signals from other crew members.
• May make minor repairs to couplings, and air hoses and report any equipment requiring major repairs.
• May talk to Engineer via radio to give or receive switching information.
• Perform other duties as requested or required.

• Hammers, ratchets, chisel, pry bar, wrenches, and brushes.
• PPE: hard hat, vest, safety glasses, FR clothing, gloves, steel‑toed boots.

• High school education or general education development (GED).
• Ability to pass training and required testing.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The team member is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions and elements, noise, and fumes from gas, oil, and grease.

Note:

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by team members assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

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Full‑time

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