Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

• Railway traffic controllers

• Operate and monitor centralized traffic control systems to coordinate and follow railway traffic

• Chart train movements, calculate arrival and departure times and record rail traffic information

• Issue instructions to control the movement of passenger and freight train traffic and on-track mobile maintenance equipment

• Receive, record and relay train instructions to train crew by hand or radio telephone

• May supervise and train other railway traffic controllers.

• Marine traffic regulators

• Direct and monitor vessel movements using radar or closed circuit monitors, remote radio systems and other telecommunication equipment

• Obtain position, course, speed and estimated arrival time of vessels and monitor vessel progress through traffic zone

• Issue clearance instructions to vessels, advise vessels of traffic volumes and weather conditions, and relay information to next marine traffic control sector

• Report accidents, distress signals, navigational hazards and other emergencies to authorities

• Maintain radio and telephone contact with adjacent marine control sectors and with vessels within area of jurisdiction

• Maintain log of vessel movements, size and structure.

• Railway traffic controllers usually require completion of secondary school and several years of experience in the railway industry.

• Up to 35 weeks of a combination of classroom and on-the-job training is provided for railway traffic controllers.

• Railway traffic controllers require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.

• There is little mobility between traffic controlling occupations in the railway and marine sectors.

• With experience, railway traffic controllers may progress to supervisory positions in rail transport operations.