Job Description:

• 1) Monitors locomotive instruments and watches for dragging equipment, obstacles on right-of-way, and train signals during run: Inventories supplies, such as fuel, water, and sand, to ensure safe, efficient operation during run.

• 2) Inspects locomotive to detect damaged or worn parts.

• 3) Observes oil, temperature, and pressure gauges on dashboard to ascertain if engine is operating safely and efficiently.

• 4) Observes track from left side of locomotive to detect obstructions on tracks.

• 5) Observes train signals along route and verifies their meaning for LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER.

• 6) Observes train as it goes around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.

• 7) Observes signals from workers in rear of train and relays information to LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER.

• 8) Signals YARD COUPLER to set handbrakes on cars and to throw track switches when switching cars from train at way stations.

• 9) Operates locomotive during emergency.

• 10) May start diesel engine to warm engine before run.

• 11) May be designated according to kind of locomotive as Firer, Diesel Locomotive; Firer, Electric Locomotive; or according to type of traffic as Road-Freight Firer; Road-Passenger Firer.