Job: Railway Operations Crewmember (88U)

JOIN THE U.S. ARMY!
To be a U.S. Army Soldier is to be a part of the strongest fighting force in the world. You'll spend your days training, working and serving together to protect America's freedoms. But you'll also have time after work for family, friends and personal interests. From recruitment to retirement, the U.S. Army provides a unique and diverse lifestyle for Soldiers.


Transporting ammunition and supplies to Army ports for deployment overseas is absolutely vital to our national defense. Members of the Army railway team, such as the Railway Operations Crewmember, play an integral role in the operation and maintenance of the Army's railway operating battalions. Railway Operations Crewmembers are primarily responsible for supervising and operating diesel-electric locomotives and related equipment. They also serve as a crewmember or brakeman in the makeup and movement of railway cars/trains. Some of your duties as a Railway Operations Crewmember may include:

* Interpret train orders
* Execute instructions received from signal towers, switches, other trains and trainmen
* Signal with fuses, hands, flags, lamps and engine whistles
* Perform car coupling and uncoupling operations
* Inspect cars at route stops
* Check lashing and bracing to assure safe hauling of cargo
* Advise dispatchers of arrival and departure times for all passing trains
* Compile records of locations of all rolling stock
* Perform lubrication orders on railway cars and making minor running repairs
* Verify seals and seal numbers on freight cars

Job training for a Railway Operations Crewmember requires 10 weeks of Basic Training, where you'll learn basic Soldiering skills, and five weeks of Advanced Individual Training. Part of this time is spent in the classroom and part in the field.

Advanced level Railway Operations Crewmembers provides guidance, supervises and trains other Soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level Railway Operations Crewmember, you may be involved in:

* Operate the locomotive's controls and safety appliances
* Observe, interpret and execute instructions received from signal towers, switches, other trains and trainmen
* Coordinate train movements
* Comply with operating timetable, rulebook and other specific instructions
* Receive requisitions for empty cars and authorize movement to locations for loading
* Compile performance and delay reports for each trip and turn in locomotive inspection reports showing equipment defects

The skills you learn as a Railway Operations Crewmember, such as teamwork, discipline and leadership, will help you in any civilian career you choose. You'll be able to pursue a future with privately owned national railway chains or government-operated railroad companies.

* Railway Equipment Repairer (88P)
* Railway Section Repairer (88T)

Learn more about the relationship between military training and civilian certification requirements.