Oregon Labor Market Information System
Occupational Information Center
Occupational Report for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters (53-4031) , Oregon Statewide
Occupational Description

Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight train. Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within yard of railroad, industrial plant, or similar location. Yardmasters coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains, yard switching, and review train schedules and switching orders.

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Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Employment Outlook for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters
Statewide Employment Analysis 2006 employment is estimated to be at about the statewide average. Oregon employment is expected to decline in this occupation between 2006 and 2016. Total job openings are projected to be at about the statewide average.

Despite declining employment, limited employment opportunities exist due to the need to fill replacement job openings.

Data Sources and Limitations
Current Job Openings for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters There are no openings for this occupation.
State of Oregon License Information for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters No statewide license is required for this occupation.
Wages for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters
Region ---------------- 2009 Wages ----------------
Percentiles (hourly wages) Avg
Hourly
($/hr)
Avg
Annual
10th 25th 50th
(median)
75th 90th
Oregon Statewide $13.41 $15.87 $20.08 $26.13 $30.86 $21.43 $44,570
Data Sources and Limitations
Regional Employment Projections for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters
Region Employment Change % Change Projected Annual Openings
2006 2016 Growth Replacement Total
Oregon Statewide 498 491 -7 -1.4% 0 13 13
Multnomah / Washington 173 165 -8 -4.6% 0 5 5
Morrow / Umatilla 107 103 -4 -3.7% 0 3 3
Baker / Union / Wallowa 52 49 -3 -5.8% 0 1 1
Klamath / Lake 41 39 -2 -4.9% 0 1 1
Lane 36 33 -3 -8.3% 0 1 1
Gilliam / Hood River / Sherman / Wheeler / Wasco 20 18 -2 -10.0% 0 1 1
Benton / Lincoln / Linn 20 19 -1 -5.0% 0 1 1
Marion / Polk / Yamhill 19 19 0 0.0% 0 1 1
Clatsop / Columbia / Tillamook 13 14 1 7.7% 0 0 1
Douglas 10 10 0 0.0% 0 0 0
Jackson / Josephine 9 9 0 0.0% 0 0 0
Grant / Harney / Malheur 5 3 -2 -40.0% 0 0 0
Coos / Curry 3 3 0 0.0% 0 0 0
Crook / Deschutes / Jefferson 3 3 0 0.0% 0 0 0

Replacement openings are caused by existing workers permanently leaving their occupation. Many additional job openings occur due to job changes within occupations.
Data Sources and Limitations
Industries of Employment for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters
Industry
Click links to view infoUSA employers
Ownership 2006
Employment
Total, All Industries All 498
Total, All Industries Private 492
Transportation and Warehousing Private 492
Rail Transportation Private 478
Support Activities for Transportation Private 14
Support Activities for Rail Transportation Private 14
Educational Requirements for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters Workers must have moderate-term on-the-job training to gain the necessary skills for this occupation. However, those with related work experience have a competitive advantage in this labor market.
Skills for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters
  • Adjust To Variables On Transportation Routes
  • Apply Emergency Non-Medical Procedures
  • Apply Loading And Unloading Procedures
  • Complete Safety Reports
  • Coordinate Service Workers
  • Determine The Makeup Of Trains
  • Explain Traffic And Transportation Situations Concisely
  • Follow Established Traffic And Transportation Procedures
  • Follow Railroad Regulations
  • Follow Safety Procedures
  • Inspect Railroad Equipment
  • Monitor Gauges And Instruments On Railroad Vehicles And Equipment
  • Observe, Interpret, And Respond To A Variety Of Railroad Signals
  • Operate Track Switches
  • Operate Two-Way Radio
  • Perform Emergency Procedures In Railroad Setting
  • Perform Safety Inspections In Transportation Setting
  • Process Records And Maintain Forms And Files
  • Read And Understand Operating Manuals
  • Supervise Employees
Schools and Training Providers for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters The training providers listed below offer one or more of the following programs:

Elite Truck School
560 SE 4th
Hillsboro, OR 97123-4994
Phone: (503) 615-8465
Programs of Training:
Western Pacific Truck School of Oregon, LLC
18990-A SW Shaw Street
Aloha, OR 97007-1246
Phone: (503) 855-4555
Programs of Training:
IITR Truck Driving School
33817 W. Martin Road
Creswell, OR 97426-9756
Phone: (800) 976-7612
Programs of Training:
Heavy Equipment Operators School, Inc.
1510 Hwy 99N
Eugene, OR 97402-1647
Phone: (541) 349-5076
Programs of Training:
IITR Truck Driving School
6720 Crater Lake Avenue
Central Point, OR 97502-9415
Phone: (541) 830-4487
Programs of Training:
Western Pacific Truck School
13691 NE Whitaker Way
Portland, OR 97230-1118
Phone: (503) 788-0203
Programs of Training:
IITR Truck Driving School
1104 Lake Road PO Box 429
Redmond, OR 97756-0099
Phone: (541) 504-1465
Programs of Training:
IITR Truck Driving School
1130 NE Old Salem Rd
Albany, OR 97321-4505
Phone: (541) 967-8001
Programs of Training:
IITR Truck Driving School
13605 SE Hwy. 212
Clackamas, OR 97015-8922
Phone: (503) 657-8225 x105
Programs of Training:
State Line Trucking School
456 E. Gladys Street
Hermiston, OR 97838-6260
Phone: (541) 567-7889
Programs of Training:
Career Pathway Roadmaps for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters No Career Pathway links were found for this occupation.
Related Occupations The scores listed below indicates how closely the skills for Railroad Conductors And Yardmasters matches the occupation in the list. A score of 100% means the occupations have identical skill sets. A maximum of 10 occupations are displayed below.
Occupation Skill Overlap
Locomotive Engineers 65%
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, And Hostlers 44%
Rail Transportation Workers, All Other 40%
Subway And Streetcar Operators 33%
Railroad Brake, Signal, And Switch Operators 32%
Bus Drivers, School 25%
Bus Drivers, Transit And Intercity 22%
Motorboat Operators 20%