Railroad Conductor — Union Crew, Train Switching & Yard Ops

Railroad Conductor job at Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad. Wells, MI.

Railroad Conductor

Escanaba & Lake Superior Railroad Co.

* NEW CONTRACT*

Locations:

Wells, MI, Menominee, MI, Channing, MI & Crivitz, WI (ELS Railroad system-wide). Candidates must be willing to relocate to a centralized location of the railroad’s 4 work locations or must reside within reasonable driving distance of the on-duty stations.

Job Description:

The conductor/switchman position will control and coordinate the train movements while switching railcars, whether in the yard of a railroad, industrial plant, or similar location to facilitate the unloading and loading of railcars in a safe and efficient manner to service our customers. This position is a manual labor position, which requires that the individual become proficient in the following skills, duties, and requirements within a prescribed training and introductory period.

• Demonstrate predictable, reliable, and timely attendance.
• Follow written and verbal directions to complete assigned tasks on schedule.
• Effectively read, write, communicate with others, and understand basic math.
• Learn from directions, and observations and use good judgment.
• Ability to work in a team environment and be courteous to fellow employees and customers.
• Receives oral or written instructions from Managers as to which railcars are to be pulled or spotted.
• In constant communication with engineer of switching orders and, whereby, which cars are to be moved to specified locations of yard, using radio, verbal or hand signals.
• Communicate with other train crews, yardmasters, or other yard workers via radio to give or receive switching information.
• Communicate with the train dispatcher to issue or receive information or instructions concerning stops, delays, or other unforeseen circumstances.
• 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 to apply and release handbrakes.
• Observe track to detect obstructions or defects.
• Maintains records, number, origin, destination, and cargo of cars switched.
• Raises coupling lever to couple or uncouple cars.
• Throw track switches to facilitate coupling cars on various tracks and signals Engineer to move cars, using lantern, arm signals or handheld radio.
• Connects air hose to cars when making up trains by bending and applying force.
• May set warning signals, such as flares, flags, or lanterns in front of and at the rear of trains during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.
• Sits or rides in the cab of the locomotive to observe signals from other crew members.
• Minor repairs to couplings and air hoses may be made, and any equipment requiring major repairs may be reported.
• Regular communication with the train dispatcher or managers.
• Willing to work variable hours, up to 12 hours per day, in compliance with federal hours of service regulations.

QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily and in a safe manner. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Must be able to pass and or obtain all reporting, testing, and certifications as required for this position. This is a federally regulated position.
• Candidates must be able to pass a pre-employment background check and pass a federal DOT pre-employment drug screen.
• This position requires employees to be placed into a random federal DOT drug and alcohol testing pool.
• Must have a valid driver’s license, with no driving violations involving drugs or alcohol within the past 3 years.

SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• High school education or general education (GED)
• Ability to read and interpret…