Who is a loco pilot?
A loco pilot refers to the train driver who carries passengers and cargo to various destinations. The term “loco pilot” comes from their duty of operating the locomotive, which means they are considered pilots in charge of that particular train. They are also known as conductor operators, trainmen and trainmen engineers. Due to the high loco pilot salary in India it is definitely a lucrative career path.
Loco pilots are responsible for all aspects of operating the locomotive, including starting it up, checking its speed, idling at stations and controlling its movements with levers on the control board. They also check incoming trains for obstructions and make sure that there are enough cars on board to carry passengers safely. Locomotive pilots are usually responsible for operating the train, but they may be assisted by other crew members, such as a conductor or engineer. They can be either male or female but most often they are male because they tend to be physically stronger than females.
Other career paths for a loco pilot:
- Locomotive Engineer
If you love trains, the locomotive engineer is a good career for you. Locomotive engineers are responsible for maintaining, repairing and improving the engines that carry passengers and cargo throughout the country. They must have a keen eye for detail and stay on top of things at all times. Locomotive engineers also work closely with maintenance staff and other train operators to ensure that their engines run smoothly and safely.
- Yardmaster
Yardmasters are responsible for overseeing the movement of trains in their yards or facility. They are responsible for scheduling the movement of trains, ensuring that they are loaded correctly, unloaded correctly and have enough space to be stored properly throughout the day. Yardmasters also keep track of how many cars each train has available to be loaded onto another train so that they can make sure that there is always enough room for more cars to be added in if needed.
- Mechanical Engineer
A mechanical engineer designs new products or fixes existing ones by using computer-aided design (CAD) software and other tools to simulate how things will work under different conditions or under different circumstances. They may work for companies that manufacture products like cars or aeroplanes, or for consulting firms that design buildings or bridges. Mechanical engineers are also involved in research and development at universities where they can create new materials and test their performance under different conditions before they go into production
The benefits that you get in these varying roles are somewhat similar. However, you can do an in-depth ESI calculation for these roles to find out which role works for you the best. You can visit Khatabook to learn about it in detail.
Roles and responsibilities of a locomotive pilot
A loco pilot must be able to read tracks, signals, and switches. They must also know how to operate various types of locomotives and how to respond appropriately in emergency situations. In addition to maintenance work and the responsibilities mentioned so far a loco pilot is responsible for:
- Prepare reports
Locomotive drivers are responsible for preparing locomotive reports every 15 minutes and submitting them to the control room. The reports are used to monitor and record the movement of trains on the railway.
- Monitoring
The driver monitors the train using a digital gauge display installed in his cab, while he checks whether the train is moving at its correct speed, if there is any trouble on board or if there is any emergency situation requiring immediate attention.
- Piloting the Train
The loco pilot provides instructions to other drivers and crew members during their shift in order to ensure smooth movement of trains along with proper crew coordination and safety measures being taken by all concerned parties.