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North Dakota: Legendary

Transportation, Distribution and Logistics

Railroad Conductor/Yardmaster

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What To Learn

High School

What high school courses should you take if you're interested in this career? Get your answers from the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics cluster Transportation Operations pathway.

Beyond High School

Here's a list of programs that you should consider if you're interested in this career:

Education Level

Education training and experience are required at different levels for success in different occupations.

High school (GED), plus on-the-job training

Rail companies typically require workers to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. However, employers may prefer to hire workers who have postsecondary education, such as coursework, a certificate, or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Most railroad companies have up to 12 months of on-the-job training for conductors and yardmasters.

Insider Info

Additional Information

Most yardmasters have little more than a high school education, but they have several years of experience on the railroad. Some colleges and universities offer courses in transportation studies, management and engineering. But most training is given on the job.

College education is considered an asset in the U.S. market.

Ella Rayburn is the curator of the Steamtown National Historic Site, a museum of steam-engine locomotives. She agrees that schooling helps one secure a spot in the field. "I would think a college degree in something like civil engineering would be helpful, but it certainly isn't necessary," she says.

Yardmaster David Belcher went to a junior college for business and personnel management and found the training invaluable to his yardmaster career today.

"It gives you a basic understanding of dealing with people," he says. "That's what this job is all about -- working with people and getting people to work with you."

Extra Requirements

Locomotive engineers and conductors must be certified by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The certifications, conducted by the railroad that employs them, involve a written knowledge test, a skills test, and a supervisor determination that the engineer or conductor understands all physical aspects of the particular route on which he or she will be operating. Engineers who change routes must be recertified for the new route. Even engineers and conductors who do not switch routes must be recertified every few years.

For additional information, visit these websites: