Conway, PA Train Conductor

Norfolk Southern Corp. • Conway, OH

7d • Onsite

About The Position

Norfolk Southern is hiring a Train Conductor in Conway, Pennsylvania. Conductors are responsible for the safe and efficient movement of freight trains, including building trains by coupling railcars, delivering railcars to customers, transporting trains over long distances, and handling electronic documentation and inspections. The company provides training; prior railroad experience is not required.

This is a seniority-based position. New conductors start on the extra board, filling in where needed, until they have enough seniority to bid on a regular assignment. Employees must be available for on-call work 24/7, potentially with 90 minutes’ notice, and should expect to spend 2–3 days away from home each week. A union membership is required within 60 days after training is completed.

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 Norfolk Southern’s Training Center in McDonough, Georgia; the company provides hotel accommodations, weekly meal stipends, and travel reimbursement from the hire location. 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 covering physical characteristics, operating rules, safety, hazardous materials, and signal rules.

The work is performed outdoors in all weather and involves irregular schedules, including on-call work, nights, weekends, and holidays. This safety-sensitive role requires constant alertness around heavy, moving, potentially hazardous locomotives. The position has physical requirements that include lifting and carrying up to 85 pounds, walking several miles per shift on uneven terrain, and meeting a railcar-ladder hang test and FRA medical standards.

During on-the-job training, conductor trainees earn a minimum of $240 per shift, with overtime at $30 per hour. First-year conductors average $70,000 annually, while experienced conductors average $84,000. The posting also describes a $10,000 retention bonus, paid in installments after training completion and at 6, 12, and 18 months thereafter. Medical insurance for employees and eligible dependents begins in the second calendar month of employment. Dental insurance, life insurance, and 401(k) eligibility begin after one year. Employees are covered by Railroad Retirement benefits and taxes. Vacation eligibility increases with length of service.

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 for the past 36 months, without a license suspension, revocation, cancellation, or denial 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, including potentially responding with 90 minutes’ notice.
• Must join a union within 60 days after completing training.
• Must pass 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 a hang test requiring hanging from a railcar ladder with three points of contact (two feet and one hand) 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, including visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye separately and both together, with or without corrective lenses.
• Must pass the specified FRA color-vision tests; lenses used to improve color vision are not permitted.
• Must meet the hearing requirement of no more than 40 dB average hearing loss at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz in the better ear; hearing aids may be used to meet this requirement.

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-or-longer shifts.

Responsibilities

• Build and inspect trains, railcars, and equipment to ensure safe operation.
• Operate remote-control locomotives and perform tasks such as 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

• $10,000 retention bonus paid in installments after training completion and at 6, 12, and 18 months after training.
• 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.
• Hotel accommodations, weekly meal stipends, and travel reimbursement for the first five weeks of training.
• Vacation eligibility increases with service: 2 weeks after 2 or more years, 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