Railroad engineer
Driver (abbreviated Tf) are employees of a railway company, serving or accompany these trips as a pilot or Beimann the locomotive of a train or a shunting movement.
In technical terms, the designations train driver or engine driver were needed that still colloquially find wide use today. The current technical language name for the locomotive engineer training in Germany is railwaymen in operational service in train driving and transport or short EIB L / T. Recently a label was introduced, which would summarize the various terms in a term: railway driver ( Ef). The Swiss legal language uses the gender- neutral term train leaders in the rail company is still the term engineer / in in use.
Drivers are often confused with train drivers, but have other tasks. However, train drivers responsible for trains without special platoon leaders their duties; they are then at the same time train drivers and train drivers.
- 2.1 Requirements
- 2.2 The profession in transition
- 2.3 continuing education
- 4.1 training
- 4.2 Responsibilities
- 4.3 Compensation and Statistics
- 4.4 SNCF
- 4.5 United Kingdom
- 4.6 Switzerland
Task profile of a driver
The driver profession is an activity with great responsibility. The stress is high by constant concentration in monotonous activity and at high speeds. Rotating shifts, weekend work, short-term rostering added. Accidents or suicides can be traumatizing.
Preparing the layer
At the beginning of each shift the personal preparations are made. New directives and notices to be read official documents and contracts, as the list of speed restrictions, the traffic during the layer lines and other features need to possibly newly added entries are added. After the personal preparation, the driver sets out on the walk from the registration office for Ablöseort or space. Also passenger trips on trains, taxis and even trips made with company cars occur.
Also carried out within the layers train and shunting must be prepared. The workload on the acquisition of a vehicle depends on its previous use. The easiest way to transfer is by replacement of another driver to drive in the detaching Tf is taught only by a release talking about peculiarities and irregularities at the acquired vehicles. Extensive preparation designed with the assumption previously parked vehicles if the vehicles or out of service ( decommissioned ) were. Then allocate its locomotive must be fully put into operation. These include not only the inspection of the transfer book, the examination, for example the cooling water level in internal combustion vehicles and individual vehicle type dependent number of technical actions and the evaluation of technical features and safety devices. For loco-hauled trains there may be also an object of the driver, perform functional checks and settings on the car park, such as the full brake testing, as well as the Zusammenrangieren of the train and the writing of his technical braking data.
Implementation of a layer
In shunting without Rangierfahrstraße the driver wearing a high degree of responsibility for its guideway. He coordinates with the turnout guards on goal, purpose and characteristics of each shunting, while adhering to the requirements applicable to him fixed as given by employees signals. Furthermore, the knowledge of local features of importance.
Before a schedule is performed, the train set should be ready to depart. The finding of Abfahrbereitschaft is primarily for the driver, including the availability of the train set, the presence of valid timetable documents, the termination of travelers change or the charging business and the authorization given in various ways approval of the Dispatcher for departure. The handling is done by the driver depending on the train type and technical equipment along with the one or more conductor (s), the local regulatory or alone. While driving controls and monitors the driver the train as part of technical and operational limits. Special attention is paid to compliance with the speed limits, resulting from the timetable information, the signaling on the route, sometimes even from the signal names, the composition of the train as well as vehicle technical limitations. From this, the driver has always derive the slightest speed limit. Again and again, also require special operational or technical failures facilities conscientious and sovereign action as well as detailed knowledge of the rules. At Deutsche Bahn, the driver is responsible for regional traffic while the train is also the traveler information, if this object is not relieved or removed by the conductor and / or equipment to him.
Stepping on to a vehicle faults and / or defects, the Tf tried to fix this in the context of remedial texts, Störlisten and also his personal experience and qualification or limit their impact to the schedule can be completed safely and undisturbed as possible can.
Wrapping up a layer
In about a mirror image in preparation for the subsequent assessment activities take place. The handover of a locomotive or a train at the Ablöser is again by stripping conversation. However, initially finds no follow-up performance of the traction unit instead, the driver is responsible for decommissioning and securing the vehicles. Here he adds supplies as needed ( engine oil, fuel, fuel oil, Lokstreusand, cooling water, process water ) or causing the addition of materials and equipment. For some utilities, it is also the task of the driver, perform the emptying of toilet waste tanks. Checked during the decommissioning and documented the Tf in the context of a tour around the train its technical condition and checked for example the engine oil level, the wheelset bearings on warming, the bogies, or drives for damage and proper operation of the sanding gear, etc. In safety-related damage can take the defective vehicle out of service, the driver, in consultation with the transport line (Tp ) and / or the operating center (BZ ). The teardown itself varies technically from vehicle to vehicle.
The personal follow-up is usually only from the gathering of information about the next service. In particular, long-distance transport and Foreign nights occur, service start and end are then not in the same place, the subsequent layer then begins where previously the precoat has ended. The night is for most utilities do not work, the accommodation is in turn covered by most utilities.
Training
Which drive vehicles allowed to drive a driver depends on his training. He has the drive authorization for each and every Triebfahrzeugart series separately purchase (see type rating ). For some time there in the European Union, a railway vehicle license, which is valid for all German railway company.
Requirements
Drivers must be at least 21 years old in Germany, if they are driving on the open road. Are they on completion of education only 18 years they may only be used for shunting and provisioning service. There must be no perception disorders ( especially no defective color vision ), no walking or standing disabilities and no hand amputation present. Due to the high level of responsibility and the hazard potential psychological aptitude tests are standard, as well as drug testing. The suitability is determined by the path doctor and regularly reviewed. This check is called Preventive medical examination G 25 for travel, control and surveillance activities. Drivers must have a completed education. In Switzerland, an apprenticeship or a passed Matura is needed to become a train driver.
The profession in transition
The job description of a locomotive or train driver has in the long history of the railroad - from William Wilson, the first train drivers in Germany - changed dramatically. Since the beginning of the railway in Europe, the railways were organized as a national state-owned enterprises. Each country developed its own operating rules and their own signal systems.
So it was normal that train drivers, which border depots ( depots ) were assigned a "border train training " possessed, which enabled them in the frontier stations of the neighboring country retract. The "border train training " included all signal systems and operational situations, which were to be found on the border stations of the neighboring country. In part, appropriate language skills were needed (eg Kehl [D ] - Strasbourg [F ] ).
At the present time, the image of the engineer has greatly changed. The country's borders are not insurmountable technical boundaries is more: Rail vehicle manufacturers provide interoperable locomotives that can operate in several countries. This also reinforced drivers are now trained bi- national, which means that they can go in two countries. Thus, the change of personnel at the borders is superfluous. However, since the operating rules are extremely different in part, is before the Federal Railway Authority that in addition to the license for the German railway system up to two other railway licenses may be. That is, a train driver could drive in more than three countries. Of course, the language skills are required. For instance, a train driver, who travels to France, speaking French, or an engineer, who travels to Switzerland, the three Swiss national languages which occur in the area of standard gauge network, if he come to these regions.
Training
Drivers must attend pre-determined annually lesson plans for training. These include the automotive engineering disciplines and train operation. Driver, the networks of foreign railways sail shall undergo additional lessons to regulations of the respective network. Driver of Deutsche Bahn AG visit annually or at the 3- year cycle a realistic simulator, will be trained in the operational irregularities. Negative controls learning success or failure of the simulator test lead to assignment to non- loss of driving privilege and retraining, only after this and re- learning success may drive the Tf again. Driver in Switzerland are required to complete a periodic inspection every 5 years. This exam is a complete work- service examination, which may be repeated once. In the case of non-existence of the retest, this means the loss of your driving license.
At Deutsche Reichsbahn and Federal Railroad
The German Federal Railroad 's career the driver was a civil service career of medium technical service. The entry requirement was the elementary school or secondary school and a completed apprenticeship in the metal or electrical trades, as was a two- year-old journeyman prove. The doctrine has been completed usually in a workshop of the Federal Railways. Then the journeyman had abzuleisten as a locomotive engineer candidate more than a year of preparatory service, which with the career examination ( engine driver test) was completed. During the preparatory service training was carried out at several locomotives and locomotive series. Then the candidate was to train drivers to employment ( eg Lokf A., Grade A 5 ) and appointed by the appointing to reserve train driver. Senior positions were train drivers ( Lokf, BesGr. A6 ), Upper Engine Driver ( Olokf, Grade A7) and main engine driver ( Hlokf, BesGr. A8). In the 1970s, locomotive depot inspector came ( Lokbi, BesGr. A9, A9 { early 1980 } with duty allowance ) Lokbi Z added. This official title already existed in the 1950s and 1960s. They accounted for at that time in favor of the general duties of federal rail operations inspector. Until the 1960s, the office was input auxiliary engine driver, which was later designated as a reserve engine driver ( BesGr. A 5). As of 1970, reserve engineer fully trained drivers. With appropriate vehicle and track customer they drove freight and passenger trains and shunting.
At Deutsche Reichsbahn training was comparable.
The official title of train driver (K ) ( basic service ) was provided mainly for rail bus driver; employees in the jargon of the DB also called rubber workers. Train driver wf (K ), salary grade A4. Upper engine driver OTwf (K ), salary grade A5 and (later) also OTwf (K ) A6 A6 salary grade. The (K ) stands for cars service. Even drivers of tractors could wf / Otwf (K ) be. Not wf Officers received the additional ( Arb ).
Drivers for individual railway companies
Training
The subsidiaries of the Deutsche Bahn and private railway companies employ today after the railway reform trained drivers as employees. A completed apprenticeship in a technical trade is again necessary. Since 1997 there are now three -year training for railwaymen in operational service with the disciplines of track and train drivers and transport. Since 14 December 2004, a high-school diploma, for example, prescribed for the qualification to the train driver by the DB. Training for locomotives, for a series that takes two months longer. In the Austrian Federal Railways a driver - training course lasts for 48 weeks. At the Swiss Federal Railways, the training lasts one year.
Training for the EIB L / T is a Dual training course. This value is placed on ensuring that the trainees get to know the railway as a system. The training includes, therefore, in the first two years of apprenticeship and content that are not directly relevant for the subsequent activity than drivers, including workshop and interlocking service, the accompaniment of trains or use in travel centers. Then followed by the actual training for drivers in the third year of training.
In addition to the three-year training for EIB L / T is the pure " functional training " exists for the driver, in which only needed for the specific activity of driver knowledge and skills ( including signals and command and communication systems, performing train and shunting movements in normal operation and in case of deviations, training on at least one locomotive series ). If it is to be concluded with the railway vehicle class 3 driving license (unlimited admission for the route service), this training is run in seven to nine months, considerably shorter at a training for Class 1 (Restriction on shunting ). Since May 7, 2011 locomotive driving license regulation applies.
It is seen as problematic that in this orientation throughout are not the technical skills of Tf at a high level. However, since interference of modern locomotives are rarely solved with standard tools, it is of little consequence. On the other hand, the shorter -trained drivers are not so easily replaced with a short-term loss, which often leads to delays and cancellations.
Remains the more important the annual continuing education (RFU ); it includes an annual 18 hours ( eight hours and ten compulsory to be completed as required hours), which are indispensable in view of the still -evolving technology in the DB. The RFU (regular training classes ) is divided into regular classes and by electronic media conducted lessons in self-study. In addition, two monitoring trips in normal driving conditions as well as two hours of training available in the simulator, of which one hour will be used as a monitoring trip, as further annual monitoring instruments of knowledge, the driver is available.
Responsibilities
Due to the increasing automation and the increasing competitive pressure drivers do today often activities that were previously done by other staff categories. This includes the coupling and uncoupling of locomotives from the train set at terminal stations, as well as during breaks outside cleaning of the vehicles. In many places, prepare the driver itself before her face, to which for example includes the full braking performance and the creation of Carlist and Braking sheet as well as the functional test of technical equipment of the fleet.
In particular, in regional transport the driver take over more and more functions of the former platoon leader, because now the train crew in these trains often consists only of customer service in the transport and whose job profile is concentrated after the abolition of the Fahrkahrtenverkaufs the train, increasingly on service functions and control of tickets. Where trains are used without conductor, the driver, the customer information is responsible. In some regions sell the driver during the service life even tickets.
Remuneration and Statistics
1990 40.859 train drivers working at the two German State Railways. The end of 2006 the figure was 19,611 train drivers ( in the meantime founded Deutsche Bahn ). Employees driver received at the company a gross salary of more than 2,142 euros per month, the starting salary was at that time, according to the collective agreement, at 1,970 euros.
The German train drivers union in 2008, a private engineer collective agreement enforced. Then Tf received at Deutsche Bahn a gross salary of more than 3,199 euros per month. The starting salary for the new collective bargaining agreement was 2,016 euros. On 1 January 2010, the starting salary has been raised to 2,056 euros, the maximum gross wage now stands at 3,263 Euro.
Mid-2012 could be filled on average after 180 days in Germany, according to a survey by the Federal Employment Agency free driver sites.
SNCF
In France, the SNCF 17,000 train drivers get between about 1200 and 2200 euros basic salary, supplemented by premiums of about 400 to 750 euros. Train drivers will receive 38 vacation days per year and can go with 50 years in retirement when they train drivers 15 years and 25 years were least employed by the SNCF. This early retirement schemes are due to an agreement made in 1850, with the additional burden of railway professionals should be balanced. The service time to reach the maximum pension is 37.5 years. The working time is 35 hours per week.
The basic training TA, which entitles them to maneuvering and shorter rides on the outdoor track can be purchased in four months on a special school. The continuing TB, which entitles them to longer rides on the outdoor track, for example, Corail carriages and night trains, there is eight months. For the TGV there is a special selection process.
United Kingdom
In the UK, most drivers work 35 hours per week, with an average monthly salary of the equivalent of about 3500 and 4000 euros. At 40 hours per week approximately 4750 euros per month can be achieved.