53-4031.00 · Learning planner
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters: a task-based learning plan
Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within railroad yard, industrial plant, or similar location. Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight trains. Yardmasters review train schedules and switching orders and coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains and yard switching.
Explore the complete task inventory first →
Understand the profile before choosing priorities
The table shows the ten highest importance ratings among 31 skills with usable ratings. Skills tied on importance can share a rank. Importance (1–5) and level (0–7) describe different dimensions. A level of 4 is not 4/7 of a course, and neither scale is your personal score. Source dates refer to the underlying rating, not the database release date.
| Skill | Importance / 5 | Level / 7 | Rating date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.75 | 4.00 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Coordination | 3.75 | 3.88 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Speaking | 3.75 | 3.12 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Critical Thinking | 3.62 | 3.62 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Time Management | 3.50 | 3.50 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Active Listening | 3.50 | 3.12 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.50 | 3.00 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.38 | 3.12 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.25 | 3.38 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
| Operation and Control | 3.25 | 3.12 | 07/2013 · Analyst |
Anchor the plan in an actual task
Choose one reported task you want to understand better. Then choose one to three skills and describe an appropriate learning activity, evidence you will review and a date. For practical work requiring authorization, choose relevant coursework, observation or supervised training.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
Level 2: Proofread and correct a letter
What result or exception would you inspect during the task, and when would you revisit it?
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
Level 2: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
Who would need what information, and at which handoff would timing matter?
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
Level 2: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
How would you explain the task, audience needs and next step in a short conversation?
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
Level 2: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
What assumption could change your conclusion, and what evidence would you check first?
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
Level 2: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
What needs to happen first, where is the deadline, and what would you do if time runs short?
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
Level 2: Take a customer's order
What would you ask the other person to clarify, and how would you confirm you understood?
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 2: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
Level 4: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
Which options, constraints and consequences would you compare, and what could change the choice?
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
Level 2: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
Which indicator would you observe, what is its expected range, and how would you record an exception?
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
Level 2: Lay out tools to complete a job
How would you separate the problem into parts and compare possible explanations?
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Read the scale examples
These generic examples illustrate the level scale. They are not required activities for railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Level 4: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
Level 2: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
Which authorized training and documented operating limits would you need to understand first?
Review the result
Your plan should explain why the selected skills matter for your chosen task, what you will do next and what evidence you will examine. Revisit the plan after that activity. Completing a worksheet or matching an occupation’s ratings does not establish professional competence.
Keep your worksheet
Download before leaving this page. Unsaved writing remains only in the page and is cleared on refresh. Notes and learning actions are not sent to a server. This guide describes an occupation and supports study planning; it does not provide clinical, legal or equipment-operating procedures.
Source and practice material
Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.
Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.