Student Aid on the Web Skip Navigation

Career Details : Locomotive Engineers

   << Back    Add Career to MyFSA

Description

Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.

Experience

A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Tasks

  • Drives diesel-electric rail-detector car to transport rail-flaw-detecting machine over railroad.
  • Inspects locomotive before run to verify specified fuel, sand, water, and other supplies.
  • Receives starting signal from conductor and moves controls, such as throttle and air brakes, to drive locomotive.
  • Prepares reports to explain accidents, unscheduled stops, or delays.
  • Confers with conductor or traffic control center personnel via radiophone to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.
  • Interprets train orders, train signals, and railroad rules and regulations to drive locomotive, following safety regulations and time schedule.
  • Synchronizes watch with that of conductor to ensure departure time from station or terminal is in accordance with time schedule.
  • Observes track to detect obstructions.
  • Inspects locomotive after run to detect damaged or defective equipment.
  • Calls out train signals to assistant for verification of meaning to avoid errors in interpretation.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Responsible for Others' Health & Safety
    • Consequence of Error
    • Frustrating Circumstances
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Degree of Automation

    Related Majors

    Major Add to MyFSA
    Contract Majoradd Contract Major to MyFSA
    Elected Studiesadd Elected Studies to MyFSA
    Elective Studiesadd Elective Studies to MyFSA
    Independent Majoradd Independent Major to MyFSA
    Independent Scholaradd Independent Scholar to MyFSA
    Independent Studiesadd Independent Studies to MyFSA
    Individual Majoradd Individual Major to MyFSA
    Individual Studiesadd Individual Studies to MyFSA
    Individualized Interdisciplinary Studiesadd Individualized Interdisciplinary Studies to MyFSA
    Individualized Majoradd Individualized Major to MyFSA
    Individualized Majorsadd Individualized Majors to MyFSA
    Individualized Programsadd Individualized Programs to MyFSA
    Individualized Studiesadd Individualized Studies to MyFSA
    Individualized Studyadd Individualized Study to MyFSA
    Individually Designed Majoradd Individually Designed Major to MyFSA
    Individually Designed Programsadd Individually Designed Programs to MyFSA
    Individually Planned Majoradd Individually Planned Major to MyFSA
    Interdepartmental Majoradd Interdepartmental Major to MyFSA
    Interdisciplinary Studiesadd Interdisciplinary Studies to MyFSA
    Selected Studiesadd Selected Studies to MyFSA
    Self-Designed Majoradd Self-Designed Major to MyFSA
    Self-Designed Majorsadd Self-Designed Majors to MyFSA
    Self-Determined Majorsadd Self-Determined Majors to MyFSA
    Self-Planned Programadd Self-Planned Program to MyFSA
    Special Divisional Majoradd Special Divisional Major to MyFSA
    Special Majoradd Special Major to MyFSA
    Special Majorsadd Special Majors to MyFSA
    Special Studiesadd Special Studies to MyFSA
    Specialized Studiesadd Specialized Studies to MyFSA
    Student-Designed Majoradd Student-Designed Major to MyFSA
    Student-Initiated Interdepartmental Majoradd Student-Initiated Interdepartmental Major to MyFSA
    Topical Majoradd Topical Major to MyFSA
    Tutorial Studiesadd Tutorial Studies to MyFSA
    University Major/Individualizedadd University Major/Individualized to MyFSA
       TOP    

    • End of Page