Home › Work activities › Operate locomotives or other rail vehicles
O*NET detailed work activityOperate locomotives or other rail vehicles
Stays humanHands-on work
4 jobs11 tasks
This is physical, in-person work with real objects, tools, equipment and places that change from day to day. AI can't do it for you.
Part of Operate transportation equipment or vehicles, under the O*NET work activity group Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment. Individual tasks below can carry a different label when their own wording calls for it (0 AI-ready, 0 AI-assist, 11 stays human).
Tasks built on this activity
- Receive starting signals from conductors and use controls such as throttles or air brakes to drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas turbine-electric locomotives.
- Operate locomotives to transport freight or passengers between stations or to assemble or disassemble trains within rail yards.
- Apply and release hand brakes.
- Drive engines within railroad yards or other establishments to couple, uncouple, or switch railroad cars.
- Drive locomotives to and from various stations in roundhouses to have locomotives cleaned, serviced, repaired, or supplied.
- Operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites.
- Guide and stop cars by switching, applying brakes, or placing scotches, or wooden wedges, between wheels and rails.
- Start diesel engines to warm engines before runs.
- Operate flatcars equipped with derricks or railcars to transport personnel or equipment.
- Ride atop cars that have been shunted, and turn handwheels to control speeds or stop cars at specified positions.
- Operate locomotives in emergency situations.