Duties of railwaymen

The normal working week of railwaymen is now 40h in many countries. Shift work is

widely practiced in the railways, which must operate without interruption. In several

countries the number of hours per 24h of work done completely or partially at night is

more or less strictly limited.

Train crew. The key figure on the train is the engine driver. Before beginning his journey the locomotive driver must check that his locomotive is in good running order and if necessary carry out appropriate maintenance work. During the run he has to watch for signals, observe speed-limits and brake or accelerate accordingly. However, the driver has to watch a large number of control instruments and indicator dials and gauges, and on steam trains also carry out a certain amount of physical work in adverse conditions.

The fireman on a steam locomotive has to do heavy or very heavy physical work-a shovelful of coal weighs up to 1 5 kg, and about 20 t of coal are needed to move a heavy goods train a distance of

1 000 km. Other members of the train crew include the guard, the dining-car staff on long-distance passenger trains, carriage-cleaning staff and, on luxury trains, secretarial staff for businessmen and executives.

Service staff. Dispatchers, supervisors, signallers and pointsmen share the operating responsibility with the train crews but work regular shifts. In busy stations and signal-boxes the responsibility is very great, and at peak hours the work is done against time.

Level-crossing keepers have the responsibility of closing crossing-gates in good time. In country districts and where traffic is light this work mayconfidently be entrusted even to a handicapped person, if reliable; however, denser traffic (both road and - rail), higher speeds and the resulting longer braking distances impose fairly stiff requirements.

Permanent way staff. Track maintenance work has much in common with subterranean construction. Regular maintenance operations include packing sleepers testing fishplates, greasing and (in winter) de-icing points, etc

Technical and workshop personnel, in railway sheds the locomotives and rolling stock are overhauled and serviced; the work includes routine cleaning with dilute lyes or acids, and minor repairs.