What do above-ground subway conductors do?

Question

There's an above-ground subway train system in Portland, OR called "the Max" and everything on it is automated. So what do the train conductors do on the Max? Their only function seems to get on the loud speaker to bark at people who want to get on the train who are wearing roller-blades, or to bark at people who are smoking on the "platform" where people wait for the train (the platform is outside in the howling wind, btw). They don't check tickets; that's the job of the yellow-jacketed a*****e b*****s with attitude problems from h**l. So what is it that they do in their little closed-off compartment at the front of train, safely insulated from the real world? Keep in mind that this is a real hoity-toity job that one must work up to after being a bus driver in Portland, so one would think that there was a lot of skill involved with sitting there and using an authoritative voice on the speaker system, saying things like, "This train's not movin' 'til you take off those roller blades!"

Answer 1

the build above ground subways.

Answer 2

Well, if they are subway conductors who by some fearful exigency have found themselves in the light of day, they're probably having a hard time seeing everything, but focus on safety issues, which is what wearing roller-blades in a moving conveyance is.

Carry some tennies to change into, and count yourself lucky someone is watching out for you.  When you do fall and bust your butt, you'll be compensated and the conductor will be out of a job, however "hoity toity" it may be.

Failing that, since your roller-blades are already on, then why don't you USE 'EM?

Answer 3

I'm sure they consider putting up with people with attitude problems (e.g. you) a "hoity-toity" job...

Then again if you want to ride the train with roller blades on, by all means - just don't sue the company when you break your head open.. Stupid should hurt.

Answer 4

modern "subways" are indeed more and more automated. Believe it or not, but this improves safety because machines usually aren't subject to "human errors" unless you consider design errors human errors. But anyway, the role of the conductor is mostly reduced to opening and closing the doors and keeping an eye on those unruly passengers. In case of some technical problem, they are supposed to be able to drive the train. Probably, this is the reason why the drivers are supposed to be top-notch. But often they've lost that skill because of lack of exercise.... Otherwise, it could be a matter of trade union demands for some subway systems (e.g. NYC).