Allentown, PA Train Conductor

Norfolk Southern Corp. • Allentown, PA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

Train conductors are responsible for the safe and efficient movement of freight trains. The work includes building trains by coupling railcars, delivering railcars to customers, transporting trains over long distances, managing electronic documentation and inspections, troubleshooting train issues, reporting incidents, and following safety procedures. No prior railroad experience is required; training is provided.

This is a seniority-based role. New conductors begin 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, sometimes with as little as 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 completing training.

On-the-job training lasts approximately 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 is completed 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 involves working outdoors in all weather, irregular schedules including nights, weekends, and holidays, and constant alertness around heavy, moving, potentially hazardous locomotive engines. Conductors must meet the stated physical and FRA medical standards, including lifting and carrying up to 85 pounds, walking up to several miles per shift on uneven terrain, completing a railcar-ladder hang test, and meeting vision, color-vision, and hearing standards.

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. The posting also describes a $5,000 retention bonus effective July 1, 2026, paid in installments after training completion and at six and twelve months afterward.

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 FRA drug and alcohol screening.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be available for on-call work 24/7, including with as little as 90 minutes’ notice.
• 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.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 85 pounds.
• Ability to hang from a railcar ladder with three points of contact for 1 minute and 15 seconds per side.
• Ability 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 specified FRA color-vision tests; lenses used to improve color vision are not permitted.
• Must meet hearing requirements: no hearing loss greater than a 40 dB average at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz in the better ear; a hearing aid may be used.

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 FRA and company safety regulations.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.
• Troubleshoot train issues, report incidents, and ensure compliance with safety procedures.
• Deliver railcars to customers and transport trains across long distances.

Benefits

• Medical insurance for employees and eligible dependents beginning 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.
• Company-provided hotel accommodations, weekly meal stipends, and travel reimbursement for the first five weeks of training.
• Retention bonus of $5,000, effective July 1, 2026, paid as $1,000 upon completion of on-the-job training, $1,500 six months after training completion, and $2,500 twelve months after training completion.
• Vacation eligibility of two weeks after two or more years of service, three weeks after six or more years, four weeks after fifteen or more years, and five weeks after twenty-three years.

What This Job Offers

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