A train Conductor

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Train Conductor (North America)

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. It has been suggested that Local trains be merged into this article or section. ... A brakeman is a trainboard rail transport worker. ... A railroad engineer or train driver is a person who operates a railroad locomotive. ... A boiler man, AKA (steam) fireman or stoker. ...

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.
• Signalling 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.

Passenger trains may employ one or more assistant conductors, who assist the conductor and engineer in the safe and prompt movement of the train, to share the workload, and accept delegated responsibility. Shunting, in railway operations, involves the process of sorting items of rolling stock into complete train sets or consists. ... // Switching technologies are crucial to the new network design. ... This article is about trains in rail transport. ...

Some subway systems may employ conductors for the sole purpose of making announcements and opening/closing doors--as opposed to a train operator doing the job--for safety reasons. The conductor is often positioned in the center of the train. The New York City Subway is the largest example of such a system. The Toronto Transit Commission uses conductors as well. On some subway systems, trains no longer have conductors, and run with the train operator alone, or under One Person Train Operation (OPTO). The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority as MTA New York City Transit. ... The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is a public transport authority that operates buses, streetcars, subways, and rapid transit lines in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ...

If a train crew's route, or tour of duty, exceeds a single shift, or is in conflict with any rules pertaining to a legal or contractual limit to the number of hours that can be worked, more than one crew may be assigned, each with its own conductor, while onboard service crew members aboard passenger trains normally remain on duty for the entire run, including their assigned meal and sleep breaks. A car attendant is a railroad employee placed in charge of a single coach, sleeping car, or lounge car on a medium-to-long-distance passenger train. ...

Since nearly the beginning of railroading in North America, on freight trains the conductor rode aboard a caboose, along with the rear flagman and the rear brakeman, and was able to perform his or her duties from there. With advances in technology and railroads seeking to reduce labor and operating costs, cabooses were made redundant and in most cases eliminated altogether. This caused the conductor to be relocated from the rear of the train to a position on the locomotive (or locomotives) at the head of the train. Gradually, these same conditions also eliminated in most cases the members of the train crew under the conductor's supervision: head and rear brakemen, flagmen, and others. A Burlington Northern Railroad extended vision caboose at the end of a train entering Eola Yard, Aurora, Illinois, in 1993. ...

Most freight trains on most railroads today have a crew of two: one conductor and one engineer. Railroad companies continue to press for reduced operating and labor costs and this threatens to eliminate the position of conductor. Railroads rationalize that since the engineer is already qualified as a conductor he can easily assume the duties of a conductor. In fact, the progression on most railroads are that engineers begin their career as a brakeman/asst. conductor, conductor and finally engineer. Some railroads, have already implemented such a strategy, notably the Montana Rail Link, and operate with an Engineer, and an "Assistant Engineer". However, most railroads are contractually obligated to employ at least one conductor in addition to the engineer, via Crew Consist Agreements negotiated with the major rail unions, primarily the United Transportation Union (UTU). Therefore, in order to eliminate the conductor position it would be necessary for the railroads and unions to negotiate on this issue. If the railroads were successful, the conductors that have already been trained and certified as engineers would be able to work as engineers. Those that have not yet progressed to engineer would have to be trained as engineers as positions become available. Others would have to accept other positions or possibly lose their jobs. The primary union for engineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers does not support this movement, claiming that requiring its members to operate trains alone would be unsafe. The conductors' union, the United Transportation Union, also opposes this initiative, despite historical differences with the engineers' union. Montana Rail Link, Inc. ... The United Transportation Union (UTU) is a labour organization in the United States and Canada representing rail, bus, air travel, and transit system workers and retirees. ... The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) was a labor organization created in the 1800s and had members in the Eastern half of the United States and parts of Canada. ... The United Transportation Union (UTU) is a labour organization in the United States and Canada representing rail, bus, air travel, and transit system workers and retirees. ...

Train Conductor (UK and Australasia)

See also: Revenue Protection Inspector

In the UK and Australia/New Zealand, the person with ultimate responsibility for operation of a train is usually described as the Guard. The term 'guard' is derived from the days of stagecoaches. Revenue Protection Inspectors (RPIs) or Revenue Protection Officers (RPOs) patrol different forms of public transport, particularly trains, in the United Kingdom issuing penalty fares to passengers who travel without a valid ticket. ... A stagecoach is a type of four-wheeled enclosed passenger and/or mail coach, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, widely used before the introduction of railway transport. ...

Until the later part of the 20th Century, Guards on passenger trains in these countries did not have routine responsibilities for ticket inspection or sale. Their jobs focused more on safe operation of their trains, timekeeping and handling parcels and other consignments. In recent years, passenger train Guards have been assigned more responsibility for on-train revenue collection and ticket inspection. When the Guard has a significant customer contact role, the position is usually classified as Conductor-Guard or Conductor.

On long-distance expresses, the Conductor's title is sometimes enhanced to Senior Conductor in line with the implied prestige of operating these trains and historically under British Rail the long distance InterCity trains were normally worked by the most senior guards at the depot. Hence the name Senior Conductor. Several of the more recent private passenger train operators in the UK have further renamed the (Senior) Conductor's passenger facing title to 'Train Manager', although in the Network Rail Rule Book they are still referred to simply as the Guard.

Conductors in Europe

A Russian train conductor in front of the express train "Repin"

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Switzerland

In general, Conductors in Switzerland have the necessity to collect tickets and punch them, fine people the first charge of 80 CHF for not having a valid fare (tickets in Switzerland are valid for one month), to initiate the announcement system. They also have to fine people if they take a longer trip than normal (i.e. If one takes a train to Bern via Biel and they departed from Geneva; which is a longer trip than taking the Inter City via Lausanne, the conductor can fine that person a supplement. They also inform people of when the train's doors are going to close. Many conductors, especially those on night shifts and on isolated regional lines are being instructed on how to defend themselves against would-be assailants.

Tram (streetcar) conductor

Many antique or heritage trams (streetcars), which operated through the earlier part of the 20th Century, were designed for operation by a crew of two or more. The conductor primarily collected fares and signaled the driver when safe to depart from stopping places. The conductor also assisted with shunting when necessary, changing the trolley pole and attended to passengers' needs. ... Cultural heritage (national heritage or just heritage) is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... a historic postcard showing electric trolley-powered streetcars in Richmond, Virginia, where Frank J. Sprague successfully demonstrated his new system on the hills in 1888 A streetcar is a railway vehicle designed to carry passengers on tracks, usually laid in city streets. ... Trolley poles are usually tapered cylindrical poles of wood or metal, used to transfer electricity from a live overhead wire to the control and propulsion equipment of a trolley car, tram or trolley bus. ...

Modern vehicle design and ticketing arrangements have largely done away with the need for conductors on street railways and Light Rail systems. However in recent years a number of modern tram or Light Rail systems have introduced (or re-introduced) conductors to minimise fare evasion and to provide customer care, supervision and security functions, even in situations where a second crew member is not strictly needed on account of the vehicle design or operation. This article is about light rail systems in general. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ...

Systems of ticket checking and selling by a conductor:

• takes place while entering, the vehicle cannot leave until this is (almost) finished
• takes place after entering an entrance lobby, while the vehicle already moves, after which the passenger moves to the seating area of the car
• the passengers get seated and the conductor comes to them

Modern mass transit systems which operate with conductors on trams include:- In the United States of America, transit describes local area common carrier passenger transportation configured to provide scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

A depiction of one of the H-class Glenelg trams by Simon Lieschke. ... Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia, with a population of over 1. ... The Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB) (municipal transport company) of Amsterdam operates 3 metro lines, partly elevated, no level crossings. ... Nickname: Motto: Heldhaftig, Vastberaden, Barmhartig (Valiant, Determined, Compassionate) Location of Amsterdam Coordinates: , Country Netherlands Province North Holland Government  - Mayor Job Cohen (PvdA)  - Aldermen Lodewijk Asscher Hennah Buyne Carolien Gehrels Tjeerd Herrema Maarten van Poelgeest Marijke Vos  - Secretary Erik Gerritsen Area [1][2]  - City 219 km²  (84. ... Midland Metro tram 05 approaching West Bromwich tram stop The Midland Metro is a light-rail tram system in the West Midlands of England. ... The County of West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a population of around 2,600,000 people. ... Brush Railcoach No 623 in Mystique livery Illuminated tram No 633, rebuilt in the shape of a Trawler The Blackpool tramway is a tramway system serving Blackpool and Fleetwood and the only surviving first-generation tramway in the UK dating back to 1885. ... It has been suggested that South Shore, Blackpool be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A tram in central Nottingham. ... Nottingham is a city, unitary authority, and county town of Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England. ... RET (Rotterdamse Elektrische Tram) is the main public transport operator in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. ... Nickname: Motto: Sterker door strijd (Stronger through Struggle) Location of Rotterdam Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province South Holland Government  - Mayor Ivo Opstelten  - Aldermen Jeannette Baljeu Hamit Karakus Orhan Kaya Lucas Bolsius Jantine Kriens Dominic Schrijer Roelf de Boer Leonard Geluk Area [1]  - City 319 km²  (123. ... The Sheffield Supertram is a tram network in Sheffield, England, operated by Stagecoach Group under contract to the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive. ... Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. ... Metro Light Rail, owned by Connex, operates one light rail line in inner Sydney, Australia. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of 4,119,190, and 151,920 in the City of Sydney, as of the 2006 census. ...

Bus Conductor

Traditional British open-platform Routemaster bus, operated with a conductor.

Up until the 1970s and into the early 1980s, conductors, or "clipees", were a common feature of many local bus services in larger towns and cities in the UK and Ireland. Conductors were protrayed in the British TV series, "On The Buses". Image File history File links Heritage_Routemaster. ... Image File history File links Heritage_Routemaster. ... First London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 towards Ladbroke Grove tube station, April 2002. ... On The Buses was a British situation comedy created by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney. ...

The main reason why two-person crews were needed was that most towns and cities used double deck vehicles for their urban bus services and until the 1960s, all double deck vehicles were built with front-mounted engines and a 'half-cab' design (like the familiar Routemaster London bus). This layout totally separated the driver from the passenger saloons. The conductor would communicate with the driver using a series of bell codes, such as 2 bells to start (the well known "ding-ding"). A double decker is a bus, airplane, train, tram, ferry, or any public transit vehicle that has two levels for passengers, one deck above the other. ... First London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 towards Ladbroke Grove tube station, April 2002. ...

Many of the half cab double deckers were boarded from an open platform at the rear, while other buses were equipped with a forward entrance and staircase and automatic doors operated by the driver. In each case a conductor was needed to collect fares and, especially on the rear-entrance design, supervise passenger loading and unloading. In some places, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were experiments with later forward entrance half-cab double deckers to remove the conductor and have the driver in charge of selling tickets as on the rear entrance buses that were common by that time, therefore giving the benefits of one person operation without the cost of replacing vehicles that still had some years life left in them. These were unsuccessful though since the driver was required to turn around to deal with passengers, usually through a small opening between the driver's and passenger compartments, and this idea was soon scrapped and the buses reverted to conventional conductor operation.

In the late 1950s, new designs of higher-capacity double-decker buses began to be introduced with the engine compartment at the rear of the vehicle and the entrance directly adjacent to the driver. From July 1966, UK transport regulations were changed to allow operation of urban double-deck buses by the driver only, who could now take responsibility for fare collection as well as supervise all passenger loading and unloading.

The new designs of rear-engined buses and so-called 'one person operation' were adopted quickly by some municipal operators, more slowly by others. New half-cab buses continued to be ordered by the more conservative municipal operators through the 1960s, but manufacture of this type of vehicle for the UK market had ceased by about 1970. This was accelerated by a UK Government grant which supported the purchase of 'one person operated' vehicles, but was not available for purchase of traditional half-cab buses.

Through the 1970s the proportion of urban bus routes operated with conductors declined, as older vehicles were steadily replaced with new buses equipped for one-person-operation, and operators grappled with staff shortages, rapidly increasing costs and falling ridership. By the early 1980s bus conductors were largely obsolete in all cities except London and Dublin. This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The Spire at night WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: , Statistics Province: Leinster County: Dáil Éireann: Dublin Central, Dublin North Central, Dublin North East, Dublin North West, Dublin South Central, Dublin South East European Parliament: Dublin Dialling Code: 01, +353 1 Postal District(s): D1-24, D6W Area: 114. ...

London was a special case, with two-person crews continuing to operate a number of bus routes in central London until late 2005, well beyond their demise in the rest of the country. This reprieve for conductors was due to continued use of the famous Routemaster bus. First London AEC Routemaster, RML 2473 (JJD 473D), on route 7 towards Ladbroke Grove tube station, April 2002. ...

The Routemaster had been purpose-built for London conditions and continued to be very well suited to the busiest routes in the most congested parts of central London. This was because of its maneuverability, fast passenger loading/unloading capability and fare collection by the conductor instead of the driver. The construction of the Routemaster vehicles was of high-quality, the design robust and the mechanical and body parts could be easily re-built and refurbished, which all greatly improved the vehicle's durability. Importantly, the 'traditional red bus' is also a unique tourism icon for London, instantly recognisable around the world.

Although the majority of bus services in the London metropolis (and all routes outside the central area) have been operated by modern driver-only vehicles since the late 1980s, 20 regular routes retained Routemasters and conductors in 2003. Between 2003 and 2005, each of these has been progressively converted to modern vehicles and one-person-operation. The process was largely driven by a political agenda on disability-accessibility, and assisted to some extent by the increase in litigious passengers claiming injuries due to the Routemaster's open rear platform. There were also increasingly frequent robberies and attacks on conductors, who could find themselves working in an isolated and vulnerable environment.

The last 'regular' (as opposed to tourist-oriented) Routemaster-operated service was the 159 from Marble Arch to Streatham. Conductor operation finally ceased on the 159 on 9 December 2005. Marble Arch was originally erected on The Mall, as a gateway to the newly rebuilt Buckingham Palace. ... Streatham is a place in the London Borough of Lambeth in the United Kingdom . ... December 9 is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Routemaster
• Train driver
• manual fare collection