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A train driver, engine driver, engineman or locomotive driver, commonly known as an engineer or railroad engineer ^[1] in the United States and Canada, and also as a locomotive handler, locomotive engineer, locomotive operator, train operator, or motorman, is a person who operates a train, railcar, or other rail transport vehicle. The driver is in charge of and is responsible for the mechanical operation of the train, train speed, and all of the train handling (also known as brake handling). In American English, a hostler (also known as a switcher) moves engines around rail yards, but does not take them out on the main line tracks; the British English equivalent is a shunter.

Train drivers must follow certain guidelines for driving a train safely.^[2] For instance, in general, train drivers are encouraged to favour longer stopping distances as this promotes vehicle health, safety, and passenger comfort.^{[Note 1]}

Career progression

For many American railroads, the following career progression is typical: assistant conductor (brakeman), train conductor, and finally the engineer. For many years the fireman was next in line to be an engineer, but that classification has been eliminated. In the US, engineers are required to be certified and must then be re-certified every two to three years.^[3]

The traditional career progression in the United Kingdom (for steam locomotives) was engine cleaner, passed engine cleaner (i.e. the employee has passed the assessment for fireman), fireman, passed fireman (i.e. passed assessment for driver), and driver.

In India, a driver starts as a diesel assistant (or electrical assistant for electric locomotives). They then get promoted on a scale: goods, passenger, mail express, and the Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto express services.^[4]

The British transport historian Christian Wolmar wrote in October 2013 that train operators employed by the Rio Tinto Group to transport iron ore across the Australian outback were likely to be the highest-paid members of the occupation in the world at that time.^[5]

Notable train drivers

Ben Chifley, former Prime Minister of Australia^[6]
Christine Gonzalez, first female driver for a Class 1 railroad.^[7]
Casey Jones, American engineer whose wreck on the Illinois Central Railroad on April 30, 1900 was immortalized in verse and music.

Notes

^ Exceptions to this include when the train is travelling at speeds slower than 100 km/h (or 60 mph) or when the train is running behind schedule.

References

^ "What Does a Railroad Engineer Do". learn.org. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
^ McLeod, Ronald W.; Moray, Neville; Walker, Guy H. (2005). "Analysing and modelling train driver performance". Applied Ergonomics. 36 (6): 671–680. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2005.05.006. PMID 16095554. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
^ "2003 CFR Title 49, Volume 4; Part 240: Qualification and Certification of Locomotive Engineers". Code of Federal Regulations. United States National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved 2007-11-14.
^ "Railway Operations – I". IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. 2010. Train Crew. Retrieved 2021-08-05.
^ Behrmann, Elisabeth (3 October 2013). "Rio Replacing Train Drivers Paid Like U.S. Surgeons". Bloomberg. Retrieved 3 October 2013.
^ Waterson, D.B. Chifley, Joseph Benedict (Ben) (1885–1951). Australian National University. Retrieved 2015-09-06. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
^ López, Carlos Andres (14 March 2017). "US' First Woman Train Engineer Speaks in Las Cruces". Las Cruces Sun-News. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-29.

External links

TrainDriver.org – A detailed explanation of what train driving involves, and becoming a train driver in the UK

[Note01-3] Exceptions to this include when the train is travelling at speeds slower than 100 km/h (or 60 mph) or when the train is running behind schedule.

[1] "What Does a Railroad Engineer Do". learn.org. Retrieved 1 July 2022.

[2] McLeod, Ronald W.; Moray, Neville; Walker, Guy H. (2005). "Analysing and modelling train driver performance". Applied Ergonomics. 36 (6): 671–680. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2005.05.006. PMID 16095554. Retrieved 30 June 2022.

[4] "2003 CFR Title 49, Volume 4; Part 240: Qualification and Certification of Locomotive Engineers". Code of Federal Regulations. United States National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved 2007-11-14.

[5] "Railway Operations – I". IRFCA.org. Indian Railways Fan Club. 2010. Train Crew. Retrieved 2021-08-05.

[6] Behrmann, Elisabeth (3 October 2013). "Rio Replacing Train Drivers Paid Like U.S. Surgeons". Bloomberg. Retrieved 3 October 2013.

[7] Waterson, D.B. Chifley, Joseph Benedict (Ben) (1885–1951). Australian National University. Retrieved 2015-09-06. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)

[8] López, Carlos Andres (14 March 2017). "US' First Woman Train Engineer Speaks in Las Cruces". Las Cruces Sun-News. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 2019-03-29.

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@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 [[File:Women railroad hostlers, Eng. (i.e. England) LOC 24143749042.jpg|thumb|upright|Women railway shunters, England, c. 1915–1920]]
-A '''train driver''', '''engine driver''', '''engineman''' or '''locomotive driver''', commonly known as an '''engineer''' or '''railroad engineer''' <ref>{{cite web |title=What Does a Railroad Engineer Do  |url=https://learn.org/articles/What_Does_a_Railroad_Engineer_Do.html |website=learn.org |access-date=1 July 2022}}</ref> in the United States and Canada, and also as a '''locomotive handler''', '''locomotive engineer''' '''locomotive operator''', '''train operator''', or '''motorman''', is a person who operates a [[train]], [[railcar]], or other [[rail transport]] vehicle. The driver is in charge of and is responsible for the mechanical operation of the train, train speed, and all of the train handling (also known as brake handling). In American English, a '''hostler''' ('''also known as a switcher''') moves engines around [[rail yard]]s, but does not take them out on the main line tracks; the British English equivalent is a '''shunter'''.
+A '''train driver''', '''engine driver''', '''engineman''' or '''locomotive driver''', commonly known as an '''engineer''' or '''railroad engineer''' <ref>{{cite web |title=What Does a Railroad Engineer Do  |url=https://learn.org/articles/What_Does_a_Railroad_Engineer_Do.html |website=learn.org |access-date=1 July 2022}}</ref> in the United States and Canada, and also as a '''locomotive handler''', '''locomotive engineer''', '''locomotive operator''', '''train operator''', or '''motorman''', is a person who operates a [[train]], [[railcar]], or other [[rail transport]] vehicle. The driver is in charge of and is responsible for the mechanical operation of the train, train speed, and all of the train handling (also known as brake handling). In American English, a '''hostler''' ('''also known as a switcher''') moves engines around [[rail yard]]s, but does not take them out on the main line tracks; the British English equivalent is a '''shunter'''.
 Train drivers must follow certain guidelines for driving a train safely.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=McLeod |first1=Ronald W. |last2=Moray |first2=Neville |last3=Walker |first3=Guy H. |title=Analysing and modelling train driver performance |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687005000931?casa_token=_cyNA5M4wgsAAAAA:NuiZ8RVgMWBwxmk66zMY5aoIFzHqp_wYrYpgLZP6NZCVSgIQWOlxtteRLOLYi8-lphtjCCAiSIA |journal=Applied Ergonomics |year=2005 |volume=36 |issue=6 |pages=671–680 |doi=10.1016/j.apergo.2005.05.006 |pmid=16095554 |access-date=30 June 2022}}</ref> For instance, in general, train drivers are encouraged to favour longer stopping distances as this promotes vehicle health, safety, and passenger comfort.<ref group=Note name=Note01/>