Conductor / Crew Lead Details

Conductor / Crew Lead

Watco - Taft, LA

Employment Type : Full-Time

Location: Taft, Louisiana (US-LA) 70057
Watco has a reputation for putting people first. In fact, our company was named to Forbes’ 2021 list of America’s Best Mid-Size Employers.
Working at Watco means working in the exciting field of transportation and supply chain logistics. We’re involved in domestic and international operations that are expanding all the time. Working at Watco also means a supportive, collaborative environment where you can learn and build a career.
And you’ll find that safety is at the heart of everything we do. We look out for our team members’ safety and the safety of the people in the communities where we work.
In addition to these strengths, we offer competitive pay and industry-leading benefits that include health insurance and a company-match 401(k) plan.
Come to Watco and join a team where you’ll leave each day knowing you’ve made a difference.
DescriptionThe conductor/engineer position will be to control and coordinate the train movements while switching railcars whether in the yard of a railroad, industrial plant, or similar location to facilitate the unloading and loading of railcars in a safe and efficient manner to service our customers. This position is a manual labor position which requires that the individual become proficient in the following skills, duties, and requirements within a prescribed training and introductory period.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate predictable, reliable, and timely attendance.
• Follow written and verbal directions to complete assigned tasks on schedule.
• Read, write, and communicate in English & understand basic math.
• Learn from directions, observations, and mistakes and apply procedures using good judgment
• Inspects locomotive before run to verify specified fuel, sand, water, and all FRA requirements.
• Reads switching orders from designated person.
• Observes radio and hand signals in yard or in cab and operates locomotive in accordance with railroad rules and regulations.
• Observes arm or lantern signal and moves controls to move locomotive backwards or forwards to switch and couple cars; or receives starting signal and moves control; such as throttle and air brakes to operate locomotive.
• Reads and interprets wayside signals, track warrants and bulletins, and railroad rules and regulations to operate locomotive, following safety rules and regulations and time schedule.
• Talks to crew or other yard workers via radio to give or receive switching information.
• Confers with train dispatcher via radio to issue or receive information or instructions concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.
• May assist workers to throw switches or perform other activities involved when performing switching operations.
• Turns hand brake wheel or ratchet type brake and tie handbrakes.
• Observes track to detect obstructions.
• Inspects locomotive after run to detect damaged or defective equipment.
• Maintains records, number, origin, destination, and cargo of cars switched.
• May coordinate activities of switching crew from locomotive cab, caboose, or control tower.
• Raises coupling lever to couple or uncouple cars.
• Throws track switches to facilitate shunting of cars and signals Engineer to move cars, using lantern, arm signals or radio.
• Climbs ladder to top of car, rides atop cars, and turns hand wheel to set brakes or to control the speed of the car when it has been shunted.
• Connects air hose to cars when making up trains by bending and applying force.
• May walk along tops of cars and peer down between them to inspect couplings, air hoses, and journal boxes.
• May set warning signals, such as flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes at front of and at rear of train during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.
• Sits or rides in cab of locomotive to observe signals from other crew members.
• May make minor repairs to couplings, air hoses and journal boxes, and report any equipment requiring major repairs.
• Performs other duties as requested or required

Machines, Tools, Special Equipment, Personal Protective Equipment Used:Hammers, ratchets, chisel, pry bar, wrenches, and brushes.PPE; hard hat, vest, safety glasses, FR clothing, gloves, steel toed boots
Requirements:High school education or general education development (GED).Ability to pass training and required testing.