USS Midway Page 2; On Our Way For A Visit

Did you know? - The conductor is the railway employee charged with the management of a freight, passenger, or various other types of train, and is also the direct supervisor of the train's "Train Crew" (brakeman, flagman, ticket collector, assistant conductor, on board service personnel). All train crew members on board the train work under his or her direction. The Conductor and Engineer, who is in charge of the locomotive(s) and any additional members of the "Engine Crew" (fireman, pilot engineer) share responsibility for the safe and efficient operation of the train and for the proper application of the railways' rules and procedures. On some railroads, Conductors are required to progress to the position of Engineer as part of union contractual agreements. Conductors usually have the following responsibilities:

• Jointly coordinating with the engineer and dispatcher the train's movement authority, and verifying this authority is not exceeded.
• Communicating and coordinating with other parties concerned with the operation of the train: yardmasters, trainmasters, dispatchers, on board service personnel, etc.
• Being alert to wayside signals, position of switches, and other conditions affecting the safe movement of the train.
• Mechanical inspection of the rolling stock.
• Assisting the Engineer in testing the air brakes on the train.
• Signaling the Engineer when to start moving and when and where to stop.
• Keeping a record or log of the journey.
• Checking the tickets and collecting fares on passenger trains.
• Attending to the needs of passengers.
• On a freight train, keeping the record of the consignment notes and waybills.
• Directing, coordinating, and usually manually performing, the shunting or switching the train needs to perform