How to Become a Railroad Locomotive Engineer
Locomotive engineers are skilled and experienced employees who work on the railroad. They are responsible for operating large passenger or cargo trains. Locomotive engineers inspect the condition of their locomotive before each run, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They have fast reflexes for rail switches and difficult turns. Locomotive engineers use the radio to discuss any potential delays with traffic controllers. Becoming a locomotive engineer is possible once you have the proper qualifications and requirements.
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Instructions
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Check to see if you fulfill the necessary qualifications. Applicants for railroad engineer jobs must be at least 21 years old, according to CollegeBoard.com. All applicants must have a minimum of a high school diploma or the equivalent, explains the BLS.
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Apply for entry-level positions with the purpose to gain experience. The BLS reveals how it it required that most railroad transportation employees have work experience in other railroad-operating jobs, such as laborers and brake operators. Also, prior to being considered for an engineering position, it's helpful if you have passed a conductor training program through a community college.
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Apply for a railroad engineer position. Upon hire, complete the formal training. Railroad locomotive engineers receive formal engineering training that is approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (see the Resources section), according to College Board.
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Pass the licensing examinations. The BLS explains that locomotive engineers must be federally licensed through a program that includes hands-on train instruction and simulator practice. After the formal training program, engineers are required to pass a visual acuity and hearing test, a railroad operation knowledge test, a background check and skills performance test.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit railroad image by Stefan Balk from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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Mark Leaver
Oct 28, 2010
As a licensed locomotive engineer, brakeman, conductor and switchman with 15 years experience in freight and passenger service in So. California I can say that this artical is a fair representation of most of the preparation and training required to become a railroader. However, there were 2 glaring omissions that readers need to know. The first is disqualification for color-blindedness. This is important due to the necessity of the employees (ALL employees, not just the engineer) to distinguish the colors of the track signals. Don't think you can fool anyone, they have very sophisticated tests. The second consideration are the 24/7 operations, lack of schedules for employees (mostly freight lines) and time spent away from home. While this sounds almost fun at first, I've witnessed many nice families fall apart because of the instability and missing parent/spouse. (T.V. Adamo...
