Yardmaster
Job Summary
Responsible for coordinating activities of freight and passenger trains. Works in rail yard and in coordination with conductors and engineers.
Primary Responsibilities
- Oversee and coordinate the activities of workers in the rail yard.
- Tell yard engineers where to move cars to fit the planned configuration or to load freight.
- Ensure that trains are carrying the correct material before leaving the yard.
- Review schedules, switching orders, and shipping records of freight trains.
- Operate freight cars within rail yards that use remote locomotive technology.
- Arrange for defective cars to be removed from a train for repairs.
- Inspect defective cars.
- Switch train traffic to a certain section of the line to allow other inbound and outbound trains to get around.
- Break up or put together train cars according to a schedule.
- Place and pull cars.
- Plan alternative routes.
- Delegate work and provide directions.
- Remain informed about cargo content.
- Alert conductors about when to change speed.
- Add or remove railcars.
