Sector
Railways
Keyword

Railway Steam Engine Driver

Railway Driver

Minimum 12th pass and ITI graduate degree in specified field

Not required

The tasks a Driver, Railway Engine (Steam) is expected to perform include:

Driving steam engine of railway train on rail routes for transporting passengers and goods

Taking charge of engine from loco shunter

Examining various parts of engine for operational efficiency

Driving engine from loco-shed to station yard and attaching it to the train

Ensuring that first coupling is properly fitted, and all gauges and meters are working properly

Opening steam cock of vacuum ejector to create vacuum and receiving token or line clear from station master

Whistling when station signals become green or lowered to indicate readiness of engine to start

Starting train on receiving signal from railway guard

Driving engine along scheduled route at scheduled timings regulating speed according to restrictions and cautions on railway

Exchanging signals with guard at each station, after start to ensure his presence in train

Supervising and checking work of fireman

Checking essential parts of engine, oiling them after long runs, ensuring that engine contains sufficient coal and water and recouping deficiency at working

Driving engine to loco-shed on completion of journey

Filling up necessary forms, detailing major defects or required repairs and handing over engine to loco shunter

Skilled in taking and maintaining all the necessary safety measures

Knowledge of all the signals that are given by the guard or other railway staff

Skilled in attaching the engine accurately with the coaches

Ability to maintain good state of the engine all the time and getting it serviced regularly

Basic knowledge of inspecting the engine and checking for oil shortage/leaks, etc.

Ability to keep a full stock of coal in the engine all the time

Knowledge of basic paperwork involved before and after a journey

Basic knowledge of railway regulation and laws

Not applicable

Hardworking

Patient

Reliable

Responsible

Physically fit

Punctual

It is a field job

Need to handle a team of firemen

Local travelling is a part of this job role

Part-time work and contractual jobs are not available

Work from home option is not available

Working hours

Railways usually work for 6/7 days a week and 8/9 hours everyday. This may vary from railway to railway

Shift system maybe available

Is the job suitable for a candidate with special needs?
No

This job is not considered hazardous or dangerous

One may develop occupational hazards such as stress on eyes, mental and physical strain, joint pains, fatigue, etc. if not taken care of

For freshers - INR 15,000 to INR 20,000 per month

(These figures are indicative and subject to change)

Market Trends of Railways in India

The Indian Railways is among the world?s largest railway networks and has strongly emerged as the main vehicle for the country?s socio-economic development. It caters to the transportation needs of the country, while also bringing together the diverse geographies and assisting in promoting national integration. Furthermore, the railway network is also ideal for long-distance travel and movement of bulk commodities, apart from being an energy efficient and economic mode of conveyance and transport. The 64,600 km network is spread across 7,146 stations, with 19,000 trains operating the routes daily. Indian Railways carried 906.36 million tonnes (MT) of revenue earning freight traffic during April 2014 to January 2015. The freight carried shows an increase of 40.22 MT over the freight traffic of 866.14 MT actually carried during the corresponding period last year, registering an increase of 4.64 per cent.

Railway driver is the most important person in executing the huge task of transporting nearly seventeen million passengers and more than two million tonnes of freight daily with the help of 2,25,000 wagons, 45,000 coaches and more than 8,300 locomotive engines of various kinds. The Railway Minister has said that the Ministry of Finance has communicated a Gross Budgetary Support of 40,000 crore (US$ 6.33 billion) for the Railway?s annual Plan. According to the Railway Budget 2015-16, 1,645.6 crore (US$ 260.77 million) has also been provided as Railway?s share of diesel cess from the Central Road Fund. All this, along with introduction of FDI in Railways has given a great boost to the employment opportunities at offer in this sector and indicate a promising career ahead for Driver, Railway Engine (Steam).

Indian Railways

Cities and towns across India