Toledo, OH Train Conductor

About the role

Conductors are responsible for the safe and efficient movement of freight trains. This includes building trains by coupling railcars, delivering railcars to customers, transporting trains across long distances, and managing electronic documentation and inspections. You’ll be trained to troubleshoot train issues, report incidents, and ensure compliance with safety procedures. No prior railroad experience is required—we provide all the training you need to succeed.

Job Responsibilities

• Build and inspect trains, railcars, and equipment for safe operation.
• Operate remote control locomotives and perform tasks such as coupling, aligning drawbars, applying hand brakes, and riding railcars.
• Communicate effectively with crews, dispatchers, and yard controllers.
• Maintain accurate documentation and comply with all FRA and company safety regulations.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Must hold a valid driver’s license and have reliable transportation.
• Ability to report to work within 90 minutes.
• Clean driving record in the past 36 months, without any suspension, revocation, cancellation, or denial of your driver's license resulting from a drug or alcohol-related incident.
• Must not have been involved in diversion or probation or pleaded guilty to a drug or alcohol-related driving incident.
• Must not have refused to undergo a drug or alcohol test related to the operation of a motor vehicle.
• Must pass pre-employment Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) drug and alcohol screening.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Physical and Mental Job Requirements

• Ability to lift and carry up to 85 lbs.
• Hang Test: Hang from a rail car ladder with 3 points of contact (2 feet & 1 hand) for 1 minute 15 seconds per side.
• Walk up to several miles per shift on uneven terrain.
• Meet FRA medical requirements: Visual acuity (at least 20/40 in each eye separately and both together with or without corrective lenses), color vision, and hearing.

Training

• On the job training lasts about 20 weeks, depending on the complexity of your assigned location.
• First 5 weeks take place at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough, GA.
• The company provides hotel accommodations, weekly meal stipends, and travel reimbursement from your hire location.
• The remaining weeks of training will be completed at your assigned location.
• To successfully complete the program and earn your promotion and certification, you must pass all classroom, field, and on-the-job requirements.

Compensation and Benefits

• Conductor Trainees earn a minimum of $240 per shift during on-the-job training, with overtime at $30/hour.
• First-year conductors average $70,000 annually; experienced conductors average $84,000.
• Locomotive engineers earn a guaranteed minimum of $94,000, with potential to exceed $100,000.
• Medical insurance for employees and eligible dependents begins the second calendar month of employment.
• After one year: dental, life insurance, and 401(k) eligibility.
• Covered under Railroad Retirement benefits and taxes.
• Vacation Eligibility Years of Service / Weeks of Vacation:
  • Two (2) or more years - 2 Weeks
  • Six (6) or more years - 3 Weeks
  • Fifteen (15) or more years - 4 Weeks
  • Twenty-three (23) - 5 Weeks

Company Overview

Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) is a Fortune 300 organization and one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway Company subsidiary operates approximately 19,500 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serves every major container port in the eastern United States, and provides efficient connections to other rail carriers. Norfolk Southern is a major transporter of industrial products, including chemicals, agriculture, and metals and construction materials. In addition, the railroad operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is a principal carrier of coal, automobiles, and automotive parts. At Norfolk Southern, we believe in celebrating our individuality. By leveraging the unique backgrounds and viewpoints of our employees, we can create a culture of innovation, respect, and inclusion. We know that employees thrive in a workplace where differing viewpoints, ideas, and experiences are freely shared and valued. As such, we encourage all employees to contribute their distinctive skills and capabilities to our organization. Equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Together, we power progress.