How do u train to become a train driver?

Question

How do u train to become a train driver?

Answer 1

First you need to decide which TOC or Frieght company you would like to work for, then find if there is a depot within 30minutes travel at any time of day under your own travel, not relying on any form of Public Transport (Railway staff book on / off ANY time in a 24hr period). After that you will need to find out if they are employing any new trainee drivers, if they are contact them for an application form.

Once you have done all that filled in the Application and submitted it, you will if lucky be called in to do a number of tests, apraisals, interviews and medicals. The tests take a whole day and cover English Language, Literature, Maths, Comprehension, Concenration, Mind skills and normally a number of attitude tests, you will be marked as you go along and see people from the tests disappearing as they fail the grades required. If you pass the day, you will then be given an interview normally with the Depot Manager you would report to, someone in Personnel and another Line Manager of a different department, if they are happy with you, then you will recieve a summons for a Medical, this will check for Drugs and Alcohol, Height - Weight ratio, Eyesight, Hearing and general fitness to ensure there are no problems (The samples taken for drugs and alcohol are checked very stringently, the level of the railways is a lot less than the driving level and if any traces of drugs are found within your body then you definatley will not get the job. To indicate the levels, we are not allowed to take anything that has 'plus' or 'max' on including Lemsip Max, Paracetamol plus, etc. Anything with Codine in, or any medicines with any form of Alcohol in, including most cough mixtures!)

After all that then you will be called back for a final interview and offered the post. Once that happens, you will be contacted to attend the training school normally within 2 months of the offer of a job, at that time you will become an employee of the company and start an average training period of 1 year to become a fully qualified Train Driver for the local area from the depot only.

You will be trained on Traction (Type of fuel used, AC DC Diesel), type of train (each has differences), Route Knowledge (Where signals, stations, stopping distances, gradiants, etc, etc) as well as most of the modules of the Rule Book (A huge tome of complicated rules and regulations of what to do and not to do, terminology, safety, etc). Once you have done that, you will be gien to an experienced Driver who will take you out and guide you through at least 100hrs of daylight and night driving, before you are even put onto the lowest link of work in the Depot and left to run a train yourself.

If you can pass all that, its not a bad choice for a job, pays well (once your trained) for the hours that you do and responsibility you have.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

First of all you've got to find a Train Operating Company (TOC) or Freight Operating Company (FOC) that are taking on trainee drivers. This may sound easy, but most companies tend to recruit trainee drivers via internal vacancies, this way the applicants already have some railway experience (such as what "Random shift patterns" are like, and what it's like getting up a 02.00 in the morning etc..)

If you are sucessful enough to get a company to take interest in you, you will have to take a "Psycometric Test". This is a test which comprises of several small tests to find out how you react, you perseption of situations, your mechanical comprehension, your ability to read, listen and remember important information, and your ability to carry out repetitive and menial tasks with 100% accuracy (to test you levels of concentration).

If you pass these tests (around 90% don't (sorry)) then you will take a Drivers Medical, this is an indepth medical, but most should pass with ease.

After this you will start training covering subjects from Basic Track Safety to dealing with failed trains, signalling etc (all of what you'll need to know about railways in general. this basic training will take between 7 to 8 weeks of solid classroom work, after which you will be examined (the pass mark is around 90% - 95%)

Then you will move onto your "Traction Training". This is where youlearn to drive the different types of train that you will have to work on for your company. This is where you learn how to start up and shut down (prepare) a train, and how to drive it. You will have to complete 225hrs of supervised driving (minimum).

At the same time as Traction Training, you will also undertake "road learning". This is the knowledge that you will need to drive trains safely over a route (section of line). On any route that you work over you must know the geographic locations of where you are at any time, where all of the stations are, where junctions are and where they take you to. You must know where every signal is, and everywhere where the line speed changes, and also the gradients of the railway. After this you will again be tested on your knowledge.

This would take between 6 to 9 months to complete before you first take to the rails on your own.

After this, you'll still learn something new everyday.

Answer 3

I practise golf swings so I am currently driving training. Therefore would you not just reverse this?

Answer 4

You go to training school! BOOM BOOM!

Answer 5

You flunk out of high school, get hired by a railroad. Learn to be a conductor, and the railroad will train you based on seniority.

Answer 6

contact first group or EWS they are crying out for drivers. You do a very intense written and verbal test first of all and you have your eyes checked. If you ar colour blind you wont get to be a driver.

Once you done that then they will train you. You will earn up to 40k for being a driver with EWS, but you have to have 2 years main line passenger service before you will drive for the bigger boys like NER etc

Answer 7

Rango makes more sence than anyone, and he's Right.

Been there and done that