Conductors and Brake Worker
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Job description
Conductors coordinate and supervise the activities of crew members on passenger and freight trains. Brake Workers check various equipment (e.g. brakes) prior to train departure. They also assist Conductors in their activities along the way.
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Climatic conditions
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Vehicle or passenger compartment
- Noise
Main tasks
Conductors
- Ensure the execution of operations in accordance with the waybill and current code.
- Explain the waybill to the crew members and give them instructions.
- Check tickets and collect payments.
- Announce station names.
- Respond to passenger inquiries.
- Draft reports.
Brake Worker
- Check train equipment (e.g. brakes) before departure.
- Communicate with crew members to facilitate the movement or operation of the train.
- Follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
- Monitor signals, railway conditions, and switches.
- Apply and release hand brakes.
- Couple and uncouple passenger and freight cars.
- Perform minor repairs as required.
- Assist with ticket verification and payment collection.
- Assist passengers getting on and off the train.
Advancement and mobility
- Experience leads to senior positions.
Hourly wage
Not available.Job prospects for 2024-2028
Les 2 champs de sélection ci-dessous vous permettent de comparer 2 régions. Les données des régions seront automatiquement mises à jour à la sélection. Par défaut, la province de Québec est sélectionnée pour la première région.
Job prospects for 2024-2028
Job prospects
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Good
All of Québec
Non available
Limited
Good
Very good
Non available
Total jobs for 2023
All of Québec
700
All of Québec
na
Gender distribution
All of Québec
Not available.
- 5.2% Female
- 94.8% Male
Not available.
- 5.2% Female
- 94.8% Male
Job types
All of Québec
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Not available.
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
$98,000
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
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NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
Others0% of jobs
All of Québec
Not available.
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
NAICS 48, 49100% of jobs
-
Others0% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
No specific training
Also required
- Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.
Conductors
- Experience as a Brake Worker.
Sometimes required
- A secondary school diploma is usually required.
Brake Worker
- Experience as a Rail Transport Labourer is usually required.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Coordination
- Result evaluation
- Oral expression
- Critical thought
- Active listening
- Time management
- Judgment and decision-making
- Monitoring operations
- Operations and control
- Solving complex problems
- Reading comprehension
- System analysis
- Quality control analysis
- Active learning
- Systems evaluation
- Written expression
- Human resource management
- Persuasion
Abilities
- Verbal skills
- Oral comprehension
- Awareness of issues
- Speech clarity
- Speech recognition
- Distance vision
- Near vision
- Information organization
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning
- Written comprehension
- Reaction time
- Auditory attention
- Selective attention
- Classification
- Written expression
- Control accuracy
- Perception speed
- Visualization
- Time sharing
- Depth perception
- Processing flexibility
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to establish and maintain interpersonal relations
- Capacity to work under pressure
- Critical thinking
- Focussed on results
- Sense of responsibility
- Knowledge of customer and personalized services
- Capacity to work in a team
- Sense of observation
- Timeliness
- Knowledge of mechanics
Interests
- Direct, organize, and manage
- Draft, communicate, and inform
- Work in sales or client service
- Work in transportation and maintenance
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Social
- People with this profile prefer to be in contact with others, in particular to entertain, help or teach them.
- Enterprising
- People with this profile prefer having responsibilities, influencing others and responding to challenges.
Official name of the NOC 73311
Railway conductors and brakemen/women
Job titles
- Railway conductor
- Freight train conductor
- Passenger train conductor
- Brakeman/woman
- Head brakeman/woman
- Conductor - switching yard
- Conductor - railway yard
- Pullman conductor
- Sleeping car conductor
- Conductor - road freight
- Brake worker - switching yard
- Brakeman/woman - railway yard
- Tail-end brakeman/woman
- Front-end brakeman/woman
- Freight train brakeman/woman
- Passenger train brakeman/woman
Skill type
Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations
Related occupations
Last update: January 29, 2026
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