The yardmaster has immediate supervision over yard employees and yard operation. On some railroads he has also supervision over the calling of train crews and the train seniority list. He is aided in his work by assistant yardmasters and by yard clerks. The assistant yardmasters’ duties and qualifications are of the same general character as those of the yardmaster.
These men must see that cars are not unnecessarily delayed in passing through their yard. They must receive the waybills for cars arriving, and deliver these to the conductors taking charge of the cars when they depart. They must make records of all the transactions and fill out reports. They must be thoroughly familiar with the rules governing train operation and defining the duties of employees connected with train service. The yardmaster must see that all orders are properly given and executed. He must have good color eyesight and hearing, and be able to stand exposure to weather. He would not be seriously handicapped by the loss of limbs, provided he could write out reports and make records and move quickly from place to place. A disabled trainman could take training for the position of assistant yardmaster and thus be in line for promotion to the position of yardmaster, although the seniority rule might prevent him from getting this promotion quickly.
PLAN No. 972. THE TRAIN DIRECTOR
The duties of the train director are to receive and transmit train orders for the movement of trains, from the train dispatcher to the train crews. Accordingly he must be an expert telegrapher or telephoner, have good color eyesight and good hearing, and be thoroughly familiar with the rules and regulations relating to the movement and signaling of trains.
PLAN No. 973. OTHER STATION AND YARD WORKERS
Under the station masters, yardmasters, and supervisors are a number of minor clerks, attendants, and laborers. But little skill is required of the laborers, whose work is largely physical and the wages paid them are the usual wages for unskilled labor. The duties of minor clerks vary so from station to station and so overlap that any detailed account of their services would be confusing. Some of these clerical positions might be suitable for some disabled men, and the training necessary is usually short. It must in fact generally be taken in the position itself for the special duties assigned in the given case.
PLAN No. 974. TRAIN CALLERS AND TICKET EXAMINERS
A disabled man with a good voice and memory might become a train caller at a large station. A disabled passenger conductor might become a ticket examiner, since his knowledge of tickets and of the various stations would be the sort of information required for this position; but the pay would probably be lower than that of conductors.
PLAN No. 975. OFFICE WORK
In the divisional or general offices the reports, accounts, and similar matters that come in from station agents are handled. There is the accounting division concerned with receipts and expenditures, most of which are for small amounts, and all of which must be totaled in various ways—a considerable task of itself. Expenditures must frequently be analyzed according to different regulations, and reports must be compiled for State and Federal commissions. Because of these requirements the railroad accountant must learn many things about railroad systems and the public regulation of railroads that another accountant does not need to know.