Job Description

Start a Watco Career and Discover the Difference

Keep the world’s supply chain moving. That’s what the Watco team does every day at our short line railroads, switching sites, terminals, ports, and logistics hubs. 

Whether you’re at one of these locations or in a support-services role, there’s one thread that ties everyone together. We’re all on the same team.  One Watco . 

Here’s what you can expect from Watco: 

• Award-winning culture recognized by Forbes and Newsweek
• Competitive compensation and  benefits
• Paid on-the-job training with peer trainers 
• Operations training at the  Safe Performance Center in Birmingham, Alabama
• Leadership and development programs offered through Watco University 
• Career advancement opportunities

Starting Pay: $18.00 per hour.

Shift Hours: Monday - Friday 3:00pm - 11:00pm 

General Purpose

The switchman position will control and coordinate the train movements while switching railcars whether in the yard of a railroad, industrial plant, or similar location to facilitate the unloading and loading of railcars in a safe and efficient manner to service our customers. This position is a manual labor position which requires that the individual become proficient in the following skills, duties, and requirements within a prescribed training and introductory period.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.  

• Demonstrate predictable, reliable, and timely attendance.

• Follow written and verbal directions to complete assigned tasks on schedule.

• Read, write, and communicate in English & understand basic math.

• Learn from directions, observations, and mistakes and apply procedures using good judgment.

• Reads switching orders from designated person.

• Supervises and coordinates the activities of train crews. 

• Receives oral or written instructions from Manager or Customer indicating which cars are to be switched. 

• Notifies engineer of switching orders and, whereby, which cars are to be moved to specified locations of yard, using radio, verbal or hand signals. 

• Talks to crew or other yard workers via radio to give or receive switching information. 

• Confers with train dispatcher via radio to issue or receive information or instructions concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains. 

• Gives instructions to throw track switches and to couple and uncouple cars. 

• May assist workers to throw switches or perform other activities involved when performing switching operations. 

• Turns hand brake wheel or ratchet type brake as well to apply and release handbrakes. 

• Observes track to detect obstructions.

• Maintains records, number, origin, destination, and cargo of cars switched. 

• May coordinate activities of switching crew from locomotive cab, caboose, or control tower. 

• Raises coupling lever to couple or uncouple cars. 

• Throws track switches to facilitate shunting of cars and signals Engineer to move cars, using lantern, arm signals or radio. 

• Connects air hose to cars when making up trains by bending and applying force. 

• May set warning signals, such as flares, flags, or lanterns at front of and at rear of train during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains. 

• Sits or rides in cab of locomotive to observe signals from other crew members. 

• May make minor repairs to couplings, and air hoses and report any equipment requiring major repairs. 

• Talk to Dispatcher via radio to give or receive switching information. 
  

QUALIFICATIONS  

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Must be able to pass and or obtain all reporting, testing, and certifications as required for this position.

SKILLS and ABILITIES  

• High school education or general education (GED) or 3 to 6 months job-related experience; or equivalent of education and experience. 

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively.

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.  

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.  

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