Buffalo, NY Train Conductor

Norfolk Southern Corp. • Town of Cheektowaga, NY

8d • Onsite

About The Position

Norfolk Southern is hiring a Train Conductor in Buffalo, NY. 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 managing electronic documentation and inspections. They receive training to troubleshoot train issues, report incidents, and follow safety procedures. No prior railroad experience is 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 on call 24/7 with as little as 90 minutes’ notice and should expect to spend two to three 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 complexity of the assigned location. Training includes classroom instruction, field training, and on-the-job experience. The first five weeks take place at Norfolk Southern’s Training Center in McDonough, Georgia; the company provides hotel accommodations, weekly meal stipends, and travel reimbursement from the hire location during this period. The 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 role requires working outdoors in all weather, irregular schedules that may include nights, weekends, and holidays, and constant alertness around heavy, moving, potentially hazardous locomotive engines. Conductors must meet physical standards, including lifting and carrying up to 85 pounds, passing a hang test, walking several miles per shift on uneven terrain, and meeting FRA visual, color vision, and hearing requirements.

Conductor 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, and experienced conductors average $84,000. Locomotive engineers earn a guaranteed minimum of $94,000, with potential to exceed $100,000. A $10,000 retention bonus is listed as effective x/x/2026, payable in installments tied to completion of training and milestones at six, 12, and 18 months after training. Medical insurance for employees and eligible dependents begins in the second calendar month of employment. After one year, employees become eligible for dental insurance, life insurance, and a 401(k). The position is also covered by Railroad Retirement benefits and taxes. Vacation eligibility increases with service: two weeks after two years, three weeks after six years, four weeks after 15 years, and five weeks after 23 years.

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 in the past 36 months, without a suspension, revocation, cancellation, or denial of a 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, potentially with as little as 90 minutes’ notice.
• Must join a union within 60 days after completing training.
• Must successfully 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 hang test: hang from a railcar ladder with three points of contact for 1 minute and 15 seconds per side.
• Must be able to walk 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; pass FRA color vision tests without lenses used to improve color vision; and meet the hearing standard of no more than 40 dB average hearing loss at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz in the better ear, with a hearing aid permitted.
• Must remain constantly alert while working around heavy, moving, potentially hazardous locomotive engines.

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 for 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 ensure compliance with safety procedures.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Benefits

• $10,000 retention bonus, paid in installments after training completion and at six-, 12-, and 18-month milestones, listed as effective x/x/2026.
• 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 that increases with years of service: two weeks after two years, three weeks after six years, four weeks after 15 years, and five weeks after 23 years.
• Hotel accommodations, weekly meal stipends, and travel reimbursement during the first five weeks of training.

What This Job Offers

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