# Railroad Job Names?



## cnengineer (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Everyone: 
I need help in getting a list of Jobs on the Railroad. I am hosting our Garden Rail Clubs Meeting in July and we are inviting an other club to join us. For a mixer and get to know everyone we wanted to play "Whats My Job". We would like to get everyone to pick a railroad job out of a hat and then have the rest of the attendants ask 5 questions to try and guess their Job. So I need a list of as many Railroad Jobs as I can get. 
Hope it will be a lot of fun. Even names like Hogger for engineer would be good. 

Bruce


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## Greg Vocks (Jan 2, 2008)

Are you wanting the real names or nicknames? 
Here is a short list of nicknames: 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nerailrd/trivia.html


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

Just few I recall form my youth. 

Division Engineer: Engineering depatrment offcial, highest management level position in the field for that dept. Responsible for roadbed, buildings and bridges on a specified division or sub-division. 

Trainmaster: Operations department official in the field. responsible for crew staffing, schedules of trains, and oversees all moving operstions on a division or sub-division. 

System Engineer. Head office management of Engineering dept. All Divisions Enginees report to System Engineer. Responsible for roadbed, buildings and bridges for the entire railroad. Highest ranking official without a VP status. 

That's all the non-obvious ones I can think of this early... 

Obvious ones... 

Brakeman 
Switchman 
Fireman 
Engineer 
Dispatcher 
Flagman 
Section hand 
Section gang leader 
Machine operator 
welder (shop and rail) 
Surveyor 
B&B Maintence (bridge & building) 
Hulsher cleanup crew....


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

Electrican [especially on the newest locomotives] 
Signal maintainer 
Car inspector / repairman 
RR police 
yard clerk


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

"Wheel Knocker"


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## cnengineer (Jan 2, 2008)

/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wow.gif 

Thanks guys for the quick replies. What a great list I have to get started with. I think I still need a few more though. 

Bruce


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Boiler Maker 
Pipe Fitter 
Hostler 
Engine Wiper 
Gandy Dancer


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Station agent/telegraph operator 
Porter 
Cook


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Robber Barron


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## Greg Vocks (Jan 2, 2008)

I have some old Railroad Employee's Time Recording Books from the late forties and early fifties. They list these jobs: 
(from 1948) 
Conductors 
Brakemen 
Switchmen 
Baggagemen 
Car retarder operators 
Electric helpers 
Enginemen 
Firemen


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## Fred (Jan 2, 2008)

YARDMASTER !


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## Great Western (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Bruce, 

How about a few British railroad job descriptions. These don't include the bosses who were usually in an office or some of the specialized jobs and more than likely many don't exist anymore, but these are from the steam era in particular the Great Western Railway. 
Driver - Wheel Tapper - Guard - Signalman - Relief Signalman -Shunter - Cleaner - Passed Cleaner - Fireman - Passed Fireman - Station Master - Porter - Lad Porter - Porter-Signalman - Booking Office Clerk - Goods Clerk - Ticket Collector - Ticket Inspector - Permanent Way Inspector - Ganger - Linesman - Lengthsman - Carriage Cleaner - Shed Foreman - and none of this includes carpenters, painters and some other specialized trades. It just goes to show how many people the steam era railroads employed. In the UK the railways were, in many places, the principal employer: they also provided housing, schools, hospitals and many social amenities. In small towns and villages the Station Master (Station Agent) was a prominent citizen and it was his part of his job to drum up trade for the railway. 
I expect one or two other UK residents may add (or ammend) my list but it is a start. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif


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## chooch (Jan 2, 2008)

Rail Inspector


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Lamp boy, lamp trimmer, workshop superintendent. 

My wife's grandfather, Henry Rushton, went from first to last over a period of about forty years in the Great Western Railway workshops in Chester. 

tac


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## Spurkle (Jan 7, 2009)

How about using job titles in the rail jobs sector? 

Like Signalling Designer, Rail Director, Lead Fitter, etc.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Just a couple of more for ya.

Roadmaster. One who is in charge of the local track maintenance

Track Supv . One who makes the FRA track inspections

Track inspector, Another name for a person that does FRA track inspections.

Switch tender. One who maintains switches in a yard.

Road foreman of engines. One who monitors locomotive engineers and qualifies them for a territory. 


Later RJD


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Bo, or Hobo, one who rides on or under freight cars to obtain transportation without having paid the RR for the service.


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## Engineercub (Oct 18, 2008)

I can give you some names ^^

Locomotive Engineer - That is what I do, run the trains. Engineers are also referred to as Hogheads, Throttle Jockeys, Runners, and if you are real unlucky Appleknockers.

Conductor/Brakeman - This job title refers to a switchperson who works on the road and is essentially in charge of the train.


Switchman/Foreman - This job refers to a switchperson who works locally in a Yard. Foreman is in charge of the yard job and the Switchman aids the foreman by strategically throwing switches for him and helping him couple up blocks of cars.


Utility Man - This job refers to someone who arms E.O.Ts on the end of departing road trains 



Herder - This job refers to someone who lines switches for inbound trains to keep them moving and elliminate the train's Conductor from having to dismount the train and throw the switches.


Retarder - This job is the person who activates retarders in a Hump Yard.

Yardmaster - This job is in charge of calling the shots for yard jobs, giving them their work, and overseeing their progress. There can be multiple Yardmasters in charge of different areas of the same yard.


Trainmaster - This is the person who is in charge of a section of the railroad, either on the road or in the yard, who makes sure the trains are departing in a timely fashion and taking care of any problems that arise. 


Road Foreman of Engines - This is the person in charge of training, disciplining, and providing information for Engineers.


Train Dispatcher - This is the person who typically sits at a computer and lines trains into and out of sidings, designates train meets, provides permission to operate main line switches, and gives a train permission to enter main track territory.

R.C.O. (Remote Control Operator) - This is a job designed to terminate other jobs. It is basically a Foreman who was given a remote control box to eliminate the need for Engineers as well as Switchmen in Yard service. 


Cub - This is an employee in training.

Turned Loose - This is an employee that has completed training and is marked up to perform service.


Foamer - This is an employee who works for the railroad and is generally teased and made fun of by other employees because they love trains.

In The Closet - This refers to a Foamer that doesn't want anyone at the railroad to know they love trains lest they be the victim of ridicule.


Oldhead - This refers to someone who has been at the railroad before I was even born and they are close to retirement.

Crewcaller - This is the person who also sits at a computer and calls people at their homes to get their butts into work.


Switchtender - This is someone who is called on rare occasions to line switches for trains on the main line when the switches loose power because of Storms or Curfews. (Curfews are times when main line track is being repaired)

Hostlers - This is a crew that prepares consists of locomotives and attaches them to outbound trains and serve to elliminate unnecessary loss of time and promote timely train departures.


Clerk - This is someone who drives railroaders to their trains and from their trains. They also tidy up dirty railroad environments.

Dead - This refers to a railroad employee that has reached 12 hours on duty and can no longer by law perform service. (example: Hey Charlie, are you guys dead yet?")

If I can think of some more I will let you know but this should help out ^^


-Will


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## hdblue (Nov 16, 2010)

Hi,





Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.








Tks again and pls keep posting.



Posted By Engineercub on 07 Jan 2009 07:32 PM 
I can give you some names ^^

Locomotive Engineer - That is what I do, run the trains. Engineers are also referred to as Hogheads, Throttle Jockeys, Runners, and if you are real unlucky Appleknockers.

Conductor/Brakeman - This job title refers to a switchperson who works on the road and is essentially in charge of the train.


Switchman/Foreman - This job refers to a switchperson who works locally in a Yard. Foreman is in charge of the yard job and the Switchman aids the foreman by strategically throwing switches for him and helping him couple up blocks of cars.


Utility Man - This job refers to someone who arms E.O.Ts on the end of departing road trains 



Herder - This job refers to someone who lines switches for inbound trains to keep them moving and elliminate the train's Conductor from having to dismount the train and throw the switches.


Retarder - This job is the person who activates retarders in a Hump Yard.

Yardmaster - This job is in charge of calling the shots for yard jobs, giving them their work, and overseeing their progress. There can be multiple Yardmasters in charge of different areas of the same yard.


Trainmaster - This is the person who is in charge of a section of the railroad, either on the road or in the yard, who makes sure the trains are departing in a timely fashion and taking care of any problems that arise. 


Road Foreman of Engines - This is the person in charge of training, disciplining, and providing information for Engineers.


Train Dispatcher - This is the person who typically sits at a computer and lines trains into and out of sidings, designates train meets, provides permission to operate main line switches, and gives a train permission to enter main track territory.

R.C.O. (Remote Control Operator) - This is a job designed to terminate other jobs. It is basically a Foreman who was given a remote control box to eliminate the need for Engineers as well as Switchmen in Yard service. 


Cub - This is an employee in training.

Turned Loose - This is an employee that has completed training and is marked up to perform service.


Foamer - This is an employee who works for the railroad and is generally teased and made fun of by other employees because they love trains.

In The Closet - This refers to a Foamer that doesn't want anyone at the railroad to know they love trains lest they be the victim of ridicule.


Oldhead - This refers to someone who has been at the railroad before I was even born and they are close to retirement.

Crewcaller - This is the person who also sits at a computer and calls people at their homes to get their butts into work.


Switchtender - This is someone who is called on rare occasions to line switches for trains on the main line when the switches loose power because of Storms or Curfews. (Curfews are times when main line track is being repaired)

Hostlers - This is a crew that prepares consists of locomotives and attaches them to outbound trains and serve to elliminate unnecessary loss of time and promote timely train departures.


Clerk - This is someone who drives railroaders to their trains and from their trains. They also tidy up dirty railroad environments.

Dead - This refers to a railroad employee that has reached 12 hours on duty and can no longer by law perform service. (example: Hey Charlie, are you guys dead yet?")

If I can think of some more I will let you know but this should help out ^^


-Will


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Engineercub on 07 Jan 2009 07:32 PM 
I can give you some names ^^


Road Foreman of Engines - This is the person in charge of training, disciplining, and providing information for Engineers.



Oldhead - This refers to someone who has been at the railroad before I was even born and they are close to retirement.

Crewcaller - This is the person who also sits at a computer and calls people at their homes to get their butts into work.



Dead - This refers to a railroad employee that has reached 12 hours on duty and can no longer by law perform service. (example: Hey Charlie, are you guys dead yet?")

If I can think of some more I will let you know but this should help out ^^


-Will 

Will,
These are some of the best 'names' from your list! I always enjoyed telling people outside of the RR that I was dead, and they would look at me with a crazy face, and wonder what I was smoking.
Don't you find it interesting that you never really know if your an old head until someone else calls you one! I've only been around for 7 years and would not consider myself and old head, but then I get some junior guys working with me and they think I'm this super old head cause I know what I'm doing, but yet there are guys working their that have 40+ years and to me thier the old heads. All a matter of persepective I guess. Speaking of RFE's the other day I had to have a check ride, and what do you know the RFE chewed me out for violating some rule (what a shock!)









Craig


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

this thread may NEVER end! lol


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## hdblue (Nov 16, 2010)

Apart from that,you also can ref more resource at:* Railroad job description*

Posted By hdblue on 16 Nov 2010 05:51 AM 


Hi,





Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.








Tks again and pls keep posting.


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## antigonedd (May 20, 2011)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); @import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Posted By cnengineer on 26 Jun 2008 08:38 AM 
Hi Everyone: 
I need help in getting a list of Jobs on the Railroad. I am hosting our Garden Rail Clubs Meeting in July and we are inviting an other club to join us. For a mixer and get to know everyone we wanted to play "Whats My Job". We would like to get everyone to pick a railroad job out of a hat and then have the rest of the attendants ask 5 questions to try and guess their Job. So I need a list of as many Railroad Jobs as I can get. 
Hope it will be a lot of fun. Even names like Hogger for engineer would be good. 

Bruce 

Hi Bruce.
I read your question and I find out this list by searching Google. I hope that it's useful for you.

Job Railroad List:

Brakeman / Utility Freight Yard Person
Trainmaster
Conductors, Engineers and Electricians
Driver / Operator
Shop Operation Leader
Equipment Operators
Track Construction Laborers
Lead Technical Director & Lead Technical Assistant
Equipment Operators / Track Laborers
Lead Technical Assistant
Amtrak Railroad Jobs
Conductors, Engineers, Mechanics and Onboard Staff
Engineer and Two Conductors
Project Engineer
Locomotive Mechanic (Mobile)
Railcar Repairman Supervisor
Railcar Repairman Supervisor
Sales Representative - Railway Industry
Track Maintainer
Signal Maintainer
Conductor/Locomotive Engineer
Interline Supervisor
Locomotive Engineers and Conductors
Crossing Safety Manager
Railroad Signal Maintainer
Heavy Equipment Railroad Mechanic
Clerical Assistant (Part Time or Full Time)
Diesel Mechanic / Powerplant Mechanic #FILLED#
Certified Locomotive Engineer / Locomotive Mechanic
Chief Mechanical Officer / Trainmaster #FILLED#
Locomotive Mechanic
Train Conductor
Railroad Machinist
Train Conductor
Railroad Roadway Mechanics
Railroad Shipping and Receiving Supervisor
Railroad Maintence Manager
Railroad Track Inspector
Carman
Service Coordinator Positions
Train Dispatchers
Operations Manager
Track Maintainer
If you want to get more info, you also visit at: http://railroadjobguide.info
Regards,
Antigone


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Don't forget 'hobo'. 

Or 'box-car bum'.

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

"Hog's head" for engineer?


Now, a hobo is a migrant laborer.

A tramp is a migrant non-laborer.


A bum is a non-migrant non-laborer.


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## Guest (Jun 4, 2011)

Hi 

You can find this info by using search box in the top of website with some keywords related before posting questions.


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## Guest (Jun 10, 2011)

If you want to get more materials that related to this topic, you can visit: *Railroad job description*
Best regards.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Cool, so Mr. Ngo Quang Thuat created that site on the 7th.... 

Seems a new sophisticated form of advertisement... looks like it might be completely automated... 

(do a whois on railroadjobjuide.info, you can see who created the site and when) 

* http://www.networksolutions.com/whois-search/railroadjobguide.info*

Greg


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

You are quite right Greg. 

But this sort of AI application to SED (Subject Enquiry Detection) on internet streams has been going on for well over a year now. I have a friend near Trondheim who has a profitable business "backtracking" sites and their owners. If you and a few friends run Google, and Yahoo searches for ridiculous subjects like "LLama Lacross" or "Bungee jumping for Gerbils" or "Olympic Sloth High Hurdles" a Chinese AI Bot will create and register a site for it. Some people take a perverse delight in forcing the bots to register sites and cause the owners to pay out wasted money. Some people even build AI bots to force other AI bots to register sites. 

"Think of it as cyber evolution in action..." (with apologies to Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle) 

regards 

ralph


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That is pretty funny about tricking the bots! Had not thought of doing that... 

oops... I did not go back and read carefully, there was another post from "hdblue" in November that did this too... I guess if I go back and read a bit, I might guess the "trigger" for the bots... 

I wonder how cheap these guys can get domain names? You would think it would have to be cheap, although of course they are getting money from the hits on the ads that are displayed when you go to the sites, but I think each hit might only be a fraction of a cent. 

Greg


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Above two posts from 29 Sept time stamp of 0247 and 0656 look like SPAM? I is just me or have a noticed a few more SPAM postings in the last couple of weeks? 
Thanks moderators, 
Craig


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

"Hi 

I read some opinions in this topic. I do not agree above ideal. We can find out some articles at about.com by using Google search." 

Could I get some eggs to go with this Spam? Sunny side up, please. 

David Meashey


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By mismary207 on 29 Sep 2011 08:36 PM 
If you want to get more materials that related to this topic, you can visit: Railroad brakeman job description

Best regards.



Really???? The exact same post. Moderators please take care of this. Or is this something Shad has to do? It's getting more frustrating the the ever ending battery/track power debates 

Time to unsubscribe to the topic.


Craig


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Craig; 

A click on mismary207 pulls up a blank profile. It's probably one of the Chinese AI Bots mentioned in Ralph's post, above. My earlier sarcastic request for eggs to go with the Spam was a tongue-in-cheek warning for other members. I doubt that there is any way most of us can feed or annoy this kind of troll, so just be patient and Shad will take care of things once he has the time to block it. 

Yours, 
David Meashey


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## bnsfconductor (Jan 3, 2008)

I looked at the profile too and noticed it was blank. I know everyone has a day job and this website is just a hobby so we can't expect it to be fixed right away, but it does seem that there has been a mild increase in the spam on this site? Is my observation correct? Just wondering. No other complains from me about the site!  

Craig


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Ha, Ha!
I just reread my post and realized that I still have to feed this troll. However, he is a really good ashcat.










Best,
David Meashey


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## Therios (Sep 28, 2008)

Don't trolls eat lead?


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