The work of a train conductor: the pros and cons

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Working as a train conductor is not an easy but interesting profession. Many from childhood have such a dream - to work as a conductor. The profession is covered with romance and fantasy. Surely everyone has their own original story about the train conductor.

Any adult citizen, even without higher education, can apply for this position. What kind of profession it is, why it is attractive and difficult, we will discuss further.

Qualities to have

To go to work as a conductor, it is important to have certain personal qualities:

• High measure of responsibility.
• Punctual.
• Communication and teamwork.
• The ability to make decisions independently.
• Care in paperwork.
• The ability to remember a large amount of information.
• Physical endurance.
• The skill of making original decisions.

Advantages and disadvantages of the profession

A conductor, like all professions, has its advantages and disadvantages. To the plusescan be attributed to:

• necessity of the profession in society;
• high wages on branded trains;
• no age limit;
• a wide variety of benefits.

The disadvantages of the profession are:

• life on wheels;
• traumatization on the road;
• psychological stress caused by serving different types of people;
• liability;
• shift work schedule;
• small amount of time to rest;
• low level of equipment of old cars.

Where and how to learn

To find out about the vacancy of a train conductor, you need to contact the nearest branch of the railway station.

The passenger depot is engaged in the training of personnel for the maintenance of wagons. For the device, you must contact the personnel department with documents. Usually the list of required documents includes:

• passport;
• certificate or diploma;
• work book;
• a statement that can be written on the spot.

After the documents are accepted, an interview is scheduled with an HR officer or manager. At the interview, it is important to show yourself as an open, sociable person without bad habits. If you managed to make such an impression and the candidacy was approved, the applicant is sent for training.

Train conductor training lasts three months, studies are held daily, a full 8-hour day, except weekends. As soon as trainingfinished, exams are taking place. First, the Rules for Technical Operation are adopted. Then the future train conductor is sent to practice - on the first trip, paired with a qualified employee. On the flight, the student keeps a diary, where he records all the events of the journey. It will need to be handed over to the training center. After the trip, the final exam with tickets is taken. If the student passes the exam with a score of more than three points, the student is considered to be enrolled in the state.

According to the results of training, the conductor is issued a certificate of completion of the course. In addition to it, in order to get a job, you will need to pass a medical examination and obtain a sanitary book, as well as certification for work safety. All documents are submitted to the Human Resources Department.

Career stages

Immediately after graduation, the train conductor has the third qualification category. And there are four of them. The first two are from the cleaners of the passenger train. The third and fourth are for conductors. The fourth can be obtained after advanced training. Such conductors usually work on branded trains.

A train conductor can move up the career ladder to become a train manager. To do this, you need a higher education or the passage of courses for foremen. Just below the foreman is a train mechanic, but this position is reserved for men only.

There are also such career steps as shift manager, head of the station.

Getting Started

After training, the conductor is ready to start work. He is given a special form, which must bekeep clean and tidy. The photo of the train conductor shows her.

At the beginning of the first work shift, the contractor forms a team. The conductor may be asked which direction is preferable for him. Perhaps the desire will be taken into account, but this is not at all necessary.

Flights are:

• long distance (more than 24 hours);
• local (until 12 noon).

Schedule of service of local trains - 10 working days, then 10 days off. In long-distance carriages, the schedule is determined by the number of days on the flight.

Before the departure of the flight, a planning meeting is held, where the necessary documents for the conductors are read out and their readiness for the flight is checked. At the planning meeting, they inform about the complete set of brigades, conduct briefings, ask them to sign the necessary journals.

On flights crossing the border, the conductor needs a passport.

At the planning meeting, the conductor is assigned a wagon in which she will need to work. Once in his car, the conductor meets an employee there who has worked his shift and is about to go home. The wagon is being received. Every detail is taken into account, because the conductor is personally responsible for the entire car.

Next, he is engaged in spreading bed linen, if this is provided for by the level of the car. Then he gets drinks and sweets.

At a certain hour, the conductor starts boarding. Here it is important for him to act strictly according to the instructions. If passengers express dissatisfaction, the conductor cannot meet them halfway, as he is limitedinstructions.

You also need to be very careful when working with tickets. Pen alties are provided for any misses in the work, so it is in the interests of the conductor to comply with everything and be responsible.

Explorer functions

The work of the conductor includes two directions. The first is service work with passengers. This includes:

• ticket registration;
• delivery of bed sets;
• trade in tea and other drinks;
• maintaining temperature in tea titanium;
• help passengers make bedding;
• assistance during embarkation/disembarkation.

The second direction of duties is related to the maintenance of the car. The conductor ensures the external and internal cleanliness of the car entrusted to him. Wet cleaning of the car is carried out twice a day, four times - in the toilets. Garbage is removed. When the car arrives at the station, the conductor wipes the handrails, loads the coal into the train. In winter, the conductors clean the car from ice, and also defrost the toilet bowl and washbasin with boiling water. Their duties also include maintaining the desired temperature in the car.

The conductor is liable for all the property entrusted to him (dishes, bedding, all equipment for work), as well as for all breakdowns and damages in the car.

Salary

The salary of a conductor depends on the number of hours worked. For a month, the norm is set at 176 hours. In addition, coefficients, bonuses and other additions can be accrued. On average, a conductor earns from 10,000 to 25,000 rubles per month. In winter, the average salary is 15,000 rubles, in summer - 25,000 rubles.

There are also employees who manage to get up to 55,000 rubles per month, but this is more the exception than the rule.

Benefits

Despite the low wages and high workload in the workplace, many tend to go to work on the railroad. This is primarily due to the benefits that each conductor of long-distance trains has, and conductors, of course.

These include:

• free delivery from the depot to the nearest station to the place of residence;
• annually reduced rail travel for myself and two minor children round trip;
• one round trip on your own road.

The trade union can award a referral for treatment, as well as a camp voucher for children. Conductors receive free medical care in special railway hospitals. In difficult situations, the company can pay for the treatment of an employee.

Every five years there are good bonuses for loy alty to the chosen cause. They can be 3-4 monthly salaries.

After working for 20 years or more, a retired conductor also has the right to preferential rail travel.

If you're still interested in a job as a train conductor, there are always job openings, you just have to apply.