Linwood, NC Train Conductor

Norfolk Southern Corp. • Linwood, NC

78d • Onsite

About The Position

Norfolk Southern is hiring a Train Conductor in Linwood, North Carolina. Conductors support the safe and efficient movement of freight trains by building trains, delivering railcars to customers, transporting trains, and handling electronic documentation and inspections. The company provides training; prior railroad experience is not required. The position is seniority-based. New hires begin on the extra board, filling in where needed, until they have sufficient seniority to bid on a regular assignment. Employees must be available on call 24/7, sometimes with as little as 90 minutes’ notice, and should expect to spend 2–3 days away from home each week. Employees must join a union within 60 days after completing training.

On-the-job training lasts about 20 weeks and may take longer depending on the assigned location. It includes classroom instruction, field training, and on-the-job experience. The first five weeks are at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough, Georgia; the company provides hotel accommodations, weekly meal stipends, and travel reimbursement from the hire location during this period. Remaining training takes place at the assigned location. Successful completion requires passing classroom, field, and on-the-job requirements, including written exams and field evaluations on physical characteristics, operating rules, safety, hazardous materials, and signal rules.

The work is outdoors in all weather and involves irregular schedules, including on-call work, nights, weekends, and holidays. This is a safety-sensitive position requiring constant alertness around heavy, moving, potentially hazardous locomotive engines. Trainees earn a minimum of $240 per shift during on-the-job training, with overtime at $30 per hour. First-year conductors average $70,000 annually; experienced conductors average $84,000. The posting also describes a $5,000 retention bonus effective July 1, 2026, paid in installments tied to training completion and subsequent service milestones.

Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• Must hold a valid driver's license and have reliable transportation.
• Must be able to report to work within 90 minutes.
• Must have a clean driving record during the past 36 months, without a suspension, revocation, cancellation, or denial of the driver's license resulting from a drug- or alcohol-related incident.
• Must not have been involved in diversion or probation, or pleaded guilty to a drug- or alcohol-related driving incident.
• Must not have refused a drug or alcohol test related to operating a motor vehicle.
• Must pass pre-employment Federal Railroad Administration drug and alcohol screening.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be available for on-call work 24/7, sometimes with as little as 90 minutes’ notice, and expect to spend 2–3 days away from home weekly.
• Must join a union within 60 days after completing training.
• Must pass all classroom, field, and on-the-job training requirements, including written exams and field evaluations.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 85 pounds.
• Must pass the physical standards, including hanging from a railcar ladder with three points of contact for 1 minute and 15 seconds per side.
• Must be able to walk up to several miles per shift on uneven terrain.
• Must meet FRA medical requirements: visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye separately and both together, with or without corrective lenses; pass required color vision tests without lenses used to improve color vision; and have no more than 40 dB average hearing loss at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz in the better ear, with hearing aids permitted.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working outdoors in various weather conditions.
• Experience with heavy equipment or in physically demanding roles.
• Experience working non-traditional shifts, on call, and/or 12-hour-plus shifts.

Responsibilities

• Build and inspect trains, railcars, and equipment to ensure safe operation.
• Operate remote-control locomotives and perform tasks including coupling, aligning drawbars, applying hand brakes, and riding railcars.
• Communicate effectively with crews, dispatchers, and yard controllers.
• Maintain accurate documentation and comply with Federal Railroad Administration and company safety regulations.
• Troubleshoot train issues, report incidents, and follow safety procedures.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Benefits

• $5,000 retention bonus effective July 1, 2026: $1,000 upon completion of on-the-job training, $1,500 six months after completion, and $2,500 twelve months after completion.
• Medical insurance for employees and eligible dependents beginning in the second calendar month of employment.
• Dental insurance eligibility after one year.
• Life insurance eligibility after one year.
• 401(k) eligibility after one year.
• Railroad Retirement benefits and taxes.
• Vacation eligibility: 2 weeks after 2 or more years of service; 3 weeks after 6 or more years; 4 weeks after 15 or more years; and 5 weeks after 23 years.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed