Conductor (rail)

Onboard service crew members on passenger trains normally remain on duty for the entire run, including assigned meal and sleep breaks.

Advances in technology and pressure to reduce operating costs made cabooses redundant, and in most cases they have been eliminated.

Railroad companies continue to press for reduced operating and labor costs and this threatens to eliminate second men.

By the late 1990s, remote control locomotives were increasingly popular on North American railroads for switching duties in rail yards.

This system allows the conductor to directly control the locomotive(s) via a wireless remote unit, as opposed to radioing commands to an engineer in the cab.

Before operation began, the FRA required FrontRunner to employ a second crewmember on each train to assist with emergency evacuation, disabled access, and other safety-sensitive situations.

[2] The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York City) transit system operates trains using two-person crews consisting of a motorman and conductor.

When a train is aligned properly, the 6-feet long zebra board should be located directly opposite of the conductor's cab.

Station departure observations are made to ensure that no passenger or item is trapped between the doors and is dragged along the platform.

The conductor is required to confirm the stop position to the motorman by pointing out the cab window at the green triangle with their index finger.

[5] In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the person with ultimate responsibility for operation of a train has traditionally been called the guard, a term that derives from stagecoach days.

Until the latter part of the 20th century, guards on passenger trains in those countries did not have routine responsibilities for ticket inspection or sale.

In recent years, guards have been dispensed with and passenger train conductors have been assigned more responsibility for on-train revenue collection and ticket inspection.

Since British Rail, there have been a number of titles for a guard's grade but, with a few exceptions, all now perform some sort of customer-facing role.

Guards still occasionally use a whistle to attract the driver's attention and to warn passengers that the train is about to move, even though the electronic communication systems are now very sophisticated.

On UK railways, modernisation and economic pressure has led to some trains losing their guards and becoming driver-only-operated (DOO).

The conductor performs platform duties and, on locomotive-hauled services, operates the train doors and handles passenger luggage.

Conductors are responsible for internal mail, passenger safety and assistance, including on board announcements, and perform ticket sales and inspection duties.

In New Zealand, inner-city commuter rail networks are staffed by a driver and a train manager (guard) as a minimum.

In Auckland, off-board ticketing and smartcard systems have reduced the staff level to driver and train manager only.

As in Belgium and in the Netherlands conductors also collect and punch tickets, fine people for not having a valid fare and make announcements to the passengers.

An on-board train host provides passengers with assistance, makes announcements, and performs minor maintenance.

A minority of routes still have guards operating the doors, giving the ready-to-start signal with a green flag, and checking and selling tickets.

Besides the safety tasks, conductors also collect and punch tickets, fine people for not having a valid fare and make announcements to the passengers.

A couple of minutes before signalling departure to the pilot, the guard blows a whistle to warn passengers to board the train.

After ensuring all passengers are safe to travel, the guard signals the green flag by waving it from the brake van.

Some perishable goods like vegetables and milk are also transported under the supervision of the guard, who is responsible for proper loading and unloading.

Modern vehicle design and ticketing arrangements have largely eliminated the need for conductors on street railways and light rail systems.

In recent years a number of modern tram or light rail systems have introduced (or re-introduced) conductors to minimise fare evasion and to provide customer care, supervision and security functions, even in situations where a second crew member is not strictly needed.

In England, the Sheffield Supertram and West Midlands Metro modern light rail systems have both started using conductors due to problems with ticket machine reliability.