Railroad Operations

Members of Amtrak’s Railroad Operations team are at the front lines of moving America wants to go. Whether on trains, or in stations or railyards, members of the Operations team have an integral role in ensuring the safety of Amtrak’s passengers and employees. If you are an independent thinker with a strong work ethic and dedication to safety, you may be a good fit for some of Amtrak’s most important roles.

Conductors and Assistant Conductors are responsible for the safety of Amtrak trains as well as their passengers and crew. The work is fast-paced and demanding: conductors must adhere to strict safety rules, while simultaneously providing superior customer service to Amtrak’s passengers. Conductors do more than just take tickets – they are like the captain of the train, and must be familiar with the Physical Characteristics and Operating Rules of the route on which they operate at all times.

Locomotive Engineers are responsible for safely and efficiently operating trains at all hours of the day and night, and under all kinds of weather conditions. Engineers operate the controls in the locomotive cab while receiving radio communications from others and visually monitoring railroad signals, track conditions, and other external factors, which could affect the movement of the train.

Trainmasters work as managers of train and engine service employees. They are responsible for ensuring safe and efficient train make-up, and provide support at train terminals and while trains are on the road.

Road foremen manage engine and train service crews to ensure the safe and efficient operation of locomotives and trains in their territory.

Yardmasters are in charge of railyards and the employees that work within them. They are responsible for safe movements of trains and railcars within the yard, and coordinate the setup of equipment for daily service.

Train Dispatchers are responsible for the safe and efficient movement of trains and on-track vehicles within their dispatching district. Dispatchers remotely keep track of all trains in their district, and correspond with crew on board trains to ensure that their journey is operating safely and smoothly.

Many operations employees work varying schedules and travel extensively to accommodate our 24 hour, 7 days a week operation. This may include nights, weekends, holidays or on-call for emergency situations. Some jobs, such as Conductor, Engineer, and Dispatcher will require the completion of a rigorous training program of at least eight weeks in length at our National Training Center in Wilmington, Delaware.

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