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Conductor/brakeman skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical conductor/brakeman skills. We ranked the top skills for conductor/brakemen based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 18.2% of conductor/brakeman resumes contained switches as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a conductor/brakeman needs to be successful in the workplace.

13 conductor/brakeman skills for your resume and career

1. Switches

Here's how conductor/brakemen use switches:

Apply handbrakes to railcars Manually maneuvering track switches to ensure correct track alignment.
Climbed ladders, boarding freight cars, operating track switches, inspecting cars and using radio communications to control train movement.

2. Rail Cars

Rail Cars, also called railroad cars, are large containers set on a railway and pulled by a locomotive. Rail cars are frequently used for shipping large quantities of product or material, such as metal, chemicals, or livestock; however, a rail car may also transport people such as a subway system. A locomotive often pulls numerous cars that attach to each other, which then form a train.

Here's how conductor/brakemen use rail cars:

Monitored for derails, signs or flags at each individual unit site within the plant while moving rail cars.
Deliver interchange rail cars to Plants and other major railroads and spot cars per work orders.

3. FRA

Here's how conductor/brakemen use fra:

Conduct a freight train as required by the FRA and Union Pacific rules.
Studied extensively to pass various field tests; consistently passing regular FRA facilitated exams annually.

4. Train Cars

Here's how conductor/brakemen use train cars:

Develop train car placement plans based on analysis of car classifications, available personnel, locomotive capabilities, and federal guidelines.
Informed supervisors about location of train cars verbally and through company specific computer programs.

5. Hazardous Materials

Any substance or good that is harmful to human health as well as the environment are called hazardous materials. Such materials must be handled carefully to avoid any mishaps. Harmful gases. chemicals, strong medicines or drugs, radioactive elements required for radiation purposes, a human blood sample that carries germs, all of these are considered hazardous materials.

Here's how conductor/brakemen use hazardous materials:

Maintained excellent scores in General Code of Operating Rules, Hazardous Materials, and Federal regulations examinations.
Observed and communicated Federal Regulations concerning rail traffic and hazardous materials.

6. Federal Safety Rules

Here's how conductor/brakemen use federal safety rules:

Complied with company and federal safety rules, policies and procedures to include responding to safety concerns and taking appropriate action.
Comply with company and federal safety rules, policies and procedures to include responding to safety concerns and taking appropriate action.

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7. Locomotives

Here's how conductor/brakemen use locomotives:

Tie down cars Insure safe train movements Operate Locomotives
Train Conductor Coordinated personnel activities Ensured shipping integrity of commercial locomotives Orchestrated incoming and outgoing railway traffic

8. Radio Communications

Here's how conductor/brakemen use radio communications:

Use and understand proper radio communication.
Control locomotive switching movements with radio communications while also communicating with yardmasters and other switching crews.

9. Train Movement

Here's how conductor/brakemen use train movement:

Supervised Engineers and other train crew on proper train movement and safety on and off the mainline.
Conduct safe operations of train movement in various locations throughout CA, and OR.

10. Communication Devices

Here's how conductor/brakemen use communication devices:

Observe, interpret and relay signals either in person or via communication devices such as radios.
Communicate with other team members and act upon oral and written instructions by communication devices such as radio and telephone.

11. Hand Signals

Hand signals are signs made using the hands to indicate or communicate certain instructions to anyone when audio communication won't be possible. Hand signals are used to flag down cabs, gesture at people from a distance, teach the deaf, and wave at someone. All these are in cases where voicing out the instructions won't be audible on the end of the receiver.

Here's how conductor/brakemen use hand signals:

Controlled movement of trains and communicated via hand signals, radio, telephone, writing, and verbal.
Railroad Conductor responsible for signaling engineers to monitor train operation and speed using telecommunications equipment or hand signals.

12. Federal Regulations

Federal regulations refer to the set of rules, both general and permanent that are published in the Federal Register by the agencies of the federal government and the executive departments. Federal regulations are the large body of rules that govern federal practice. Examples of these laws include taxes and financial regulation, discrimination law, wages law, and so on.

Here's how conductor/brakemen use federal regulations:

Completed necessary paperwork under federal regulations.
Operated train according to federal regulations.

13. DOT

Here's how conductor/brakemen use dot:

Maintained a daily, legible DOT log book and submitted corresponding documents.

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List of conductor/brakeman skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a conductor/brakeman resume and required skills for a conductor/brakeman to have include:

Switches
Rail Cars
FRA
Train Cars
Hazardous Materials

Federal Safety Rules
Locomotives
Radio Communications
Train Movement
Communication Devices

Hand Signals
Federal Regulations
DOT

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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