RAILROAD TRACK LABORER AND TRAIN CREW TRAINEE

Description

V&S Railway is seeking applicants for an entry level position on its Medicine Lodge, KS rail line. No previous railroad experience is required. Applicants will be trained in, and eventually qualified for: (i) maintenance and repair of?railroad track and property; and (ii) upon successful completion of a 90-day probationary period, assisting train crews with operation of trains. The duties listed below are representative only, to be used in deciding whether to apply for this position; this is not an exhaustive list. 

Requirements

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma or GED.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Work is full-time (40 hrs./wk.) and is subject to, as needed, working overtime and weekends.
• Able to work outdoors in extreme all-weather conditions, and on uneven surfaces.
• Able to lift up to 80 lbs. without injury.
• Work around loud noise and diesel fumes, using heavy/moving equipment.
• Comply with Railroad safety rules, including wearing Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-approved PPE and safety toe boots.
• Drive Railroad vehicles. CDL preferred, but not required.
• Offers of employment will be contingent on: (i) the Railroad’s investigation of prior felony convictions (including DUI) relevant to the essential job functions; and (ii) the applicant successfully passing relevant FRA drug and alcohol test(s).

TRACK LABORER DUTIES

• Maintain and repair railroad track and property, including remove and install ties, move and compress ballast, tree cutting and vegetation control.
• Operate non-power hand tools, such as shovels, picks, axes, cutters, sledgehammers, and wrenches.
• Operate power hand tools, such as drills, impact wrenches, jacks, saws, and grinders.
• Operate, or learn to operate, heavy equipment; including backhoes and loaders, to load, move and level dirt, rocks and other materials.
• Provide general maintenance as needed on the tools and equipment used.

TRAIN CREW/CONDUCTOR TRAINEE JOB DUTIES

Upon successful completion of a 90-day probationary period, the employee’s job duties will include, in additional to those noted above for a track laborer, the following:

• Obtain and communicate information to and from the operations manager or others, in person, in writing or by radio and telephone.
• Observe, interpret, and perform hand signals for rail car movements.
• Operate track switches and derails.
• Climb ladders on freight cars and locomotives.
• Get on and off rail cars and hold your own body weight onto grab irons or ladders.
• Operate hand brakes, couple and uncouple air hoses, inspect rail cars.
• Observe and monitor track conditions.
• Judge and control speed and clearance distance of rail cars.
• Prepare required reports and read and interpret work orders and instructions.
• Pass written examination to be certified conductor, to occur any time after probationary period.

PAY AND BENEFITS

• Competitive Pay
• Health insurance (eligible on 1st day of calendar month after start date).
• Retirement plan (eligible 90 days after start date).
• Paid time off.
• No relocation assistance.