On the modern railway there is a lot of the most diverse transport, which differs in its technical characteristics, purpose or other parameters. For example, an electric locomotive. This type of equipment belongs to locomotives, while it has an electric motor. And the electric locomotive is used most often for freight transportation. This equipment is operated by an electric locomotive driver.

Description of the profession

The locomotive driver is a skilled worker. He has all the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out maintenance, repair work, as well as the operation of an electric locomotive. His duties include a very process of preparing the car for the exit to the route. In order to make sure that the equipment entrusted to him is working, the driver checks the serviceability of the equipment, running gear, and signaling system.

To obtain admission to independent work, an electric locomotive driver must pass a medical commission, which should reveal the absence of contraindications to work. Subsequently, the worker will undergo inspections before each shift. He will be tested for vision, reflexes, fine motor skills. They will also take a blood test, if traces of alcoholic or narcotic substances are found in it, the driver cannot be allowed to work. Moreover, the specialist will expect penalties for violations of labor discipline.

Before starting work, the driver must undergo a series of briefings on labor protection, safety precautions and how to provide first aid to the injured. Such training specialist to undergo regularly, according to the schedule. However, if an emergency situation arises or new equipment is purchased, unscheduled briefings will be held. Based on their results, the driver passes certification. In case of unsatisfactory results, he cannot be allowed to work.

An assistant driver works in tandem with the locomotive driver. Most often, this function is performed by a young specialist without work experience. Thus, he undergoes an internship, adopting knowledge and practical skills from a more experienced colleague. Typically, interns are assigned to employees who have more than three years of experience as a machinist. And the internship itself lasts about three months on average. In addition, inexperienced specialists also work out their practical skills on special simulators under the guidance of an instructor driver.

The driver of an electric locomotive can only allow the presence of the following persons in the cab: an instructor driver, an assistant driver who takes over experience in driving a train. The same principle applies to the transfer of control. You can entrust the control of the locomotive either to the driver-instructor or the assistant driver.

An electric locomotive driver has no right to leave the locomotive during his shift. If such a need arises, it should be agreed with the train dispatcher or station attendant.

Where can you learn the profession of an electric locomotive driver?

In order to work as an electric locomotive driver, you should get a specialized education. Drivers are trained in secondary specialized educational institutions. Applicants take exams and pass a medical examination. If the health indications do not meet the stated standards of the profession, the applicant cannot be admitted to study. Upon completion of training, a certificate is issued for the right to drive an electric locomotive.

After receiving a diploma of education, a young specialist gets a job, where he undergoes an internship as an assistant driver. On average, such an internship can take from three months.

In addition, the driver must regularly confirm the level of his qualifications. If he has the first qualification level, then the certification for professional suitability will take place once every 5 years, if the second class - once every 4 years, and with the third category - once every three years.

Periodically confirm qualifications in the locomotive depot commission: drivers with the first qualification class - at least once every 5 years, with the second qualification class - at least once every 4 years, with the third qualification class - at least once every 3 years.

Occupation ranks locomotive driver

The specialty of an electric locomotive driver has three qualification categories: first, second, third. The driver must lead the entire process of technological maintenance of the locomotive, manage it, and during the movement monitor the situation on the railway, read the signs. In addition, the duties of the driver include training the assistant driver, monitoring his actions.

Personal qualities of the profession locomotive driver

An electric locomotive is a type of transport that moves at a fairly high speed, therefore, to control such equipment, the driver must have sharp eyesight, good hearing, quick reflexes and motor skills development.

It is forbidden to drive an electric locomotive if you feel unwell, as well as if you have problems with vision, motor skills, or the cardiovascular system; this is a violation of safety rules.

The following qualities are highly valued in representatives of this profession: responsibility, discipline, attentiveness, observation. In addition, the driver works in tandem with an assistant, who most often needs to be trained in the practical skills of the profession, so the worker also needs pedagogical talent. It is necessary to correctly and clearly express your thoughts, specifically set the task, monitor its implementation.

Locomotive driver salary

Every month, an electric locomotive driver earns from 60,000 rubles. In many ways, the amount of salary depends on the qualification level of the worker, as well as the routes that he performs.

Pros and cons of the profession of an electric locomotive driver

To positive aspects specialties include the following:

demand in the labor market;

high level of wages;

Opportunity for on-the-job training.

To negative sides professions include:

difficult working conditions;

most often, employers prefer male drivers.

In our country, the profession of a machinist today is one of the most sought-after specialties. The professional activity of machinists is usually associated with the management of a wide variety of types of railway transport. Who is a machinist? The driver is the most basic person in a railway locomotive. His team also includes an assistant driver, whose labor duties include less qualified and less responsible functions that are associated with a superficial inspection and verification of a railway locomotive and with its management.

In those distant years, when rail transport had just appeared and was rapidly developing, stokers / diesel workers were also included in the team. The first of them provided support for combustion in fuel boilers. On the shoulders of the second were assigned duties related to monitoring the correct operation of the diesel systems of the locomotive.

The history of the profession of a machinist begins with the creation of the first train and the laying of the first railroad. Then a very tough question arose about the need for professional management of a rather complex new technology. In order to ensure a safe trip, to foresee all kinds of emergency situations, knowledge, professional skills, a sufficiently high reaction speed and, of course, enormous stress resistance were required to meet all these requests. In connection with all of the above, before putting someone in control of a railway locomotive as a driver, his professional training was required.

The very first specialist whose profession as a machinist has been known in the Russian Empire since 1834, three decades after this profession became known in the world.

Later, many people were trained as machinists. Initially, they had to drive a train on the Tsarkoselskaya railway, which consisted of only four small cars. In those distant years, the speed of the train averaged 32.8 km / h, but by 1860 it had reached 42.7 km / h. During this period, the main route along which passengers and all kinds of cargo were transported was from St. Petersburg to Moscow.

During the existence of the Soviet Union, the profession of a machinist was more in demand than ever. Industrial production grew and developed at a staggering pace, there was widespread construction, many new railways were being laid. It was necessary to create more and more new trains for the timely transportation of numerous goods over long distances, which required professional drivers. A similar trend continues to this day.

Just like in any other profession, working as a machinist has its pros and cons. The "pros" include:

- romanticism of the profession and the possibility of new experiences. Any person likes to be in unknown, previously unfamiliar places. The profession of a machinist provides him with such an opportunity;

- what is the salary of the driver of the Russian Railways. Stable and fairly high salary. For accurate trouble-free work and strict compliance with the regulations, the driver can receive quite impressive bonuses in size, which for most of them turns out to be a very pleasant gift;

- the incredible pleasure of feeling self-important, because you have to manage a huge and extremely complex machinery.

The "cons" of the profession of a machinist are as follows:

- Great stress on physical and mental health. The driver is forced to work 12-14 hours during one shift;

- the need for a long stay in a cramped closed space of the locomotive;

- many of the drivers, during long trips, have to be away from their homes for several weeks;

- the profession of a machinist has a rather narrow specialization. If he suddenly wants to change his qualifications, then he will certainly have to start everything from scratch.

What is the benefit of being a machinist? To make sure that the profession of a machinist is still in demand, it will be enough to look at the relevant statistics: for example, according to research conducted recently by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the profession of a machinist takes a leading position in a long list of working professions. Internet data says that on the most popular job portals, about 33% of requests were from all kinds of employers who needed highly skilled machinists.

We also offer to get acquainted with the professions of a driver, waiter and underwriter.

Now a little about the wages that this profession allows you to receive. The driver, as we said above, receives a fairly high and, most importantly, timely salary. On average in the country, it starts somewhere from 50 thousand rubles. Naturally, depending on the complexity and importance of the route and the professional skills of the specialist himself, the salary can easily reach up to 100 thousand rubles. And this is without taking into account all kinds of bonuses and bonuses, which can sometimes be much more than the salary itself. Agree, this is quite a decent wage for a rather difficult, responsible and at the same time extremely complex work that requires perseverance, utmost attentiveness and great emotional tension from a specialist.

In order to eventually gain access and all the necessary permissions to operate a rather technically complex technique, the future driver needs to undergo special training. In various educational institutions, such training is carried out and lasts differently. However, as a rule, this happens on the basis of general education. It is quite natural that the presence of a higher or some kind of special education for a student will be a rather big advantage for him. The course of study is more than six months. During this time, the future driver must attend classes five times a week and study from 9 am to 5 pm (excluding time for homework).

You can learn more about the profession on the video:

The life of a modern person cannot be imagined without machines and other mechanized devices. It is quite logical that there are people who operate such machines. And if the machines used for personal purposes are controlled by their owners, then only specialists - representatives of the profession of a machinist - can operate equipment for industrial or public purposes.

The life of a modern person cannot be imagined without machines and other mechanized devices that not only make life easier for us, but significantly increase the productivity of specialists in various industries. It is quite logical that there are people who operate such machines. And if the machines used for personal purposes are controlled by their owners, then only specialists - representatives of profession driver.

Since we are unlikely to live until the moment when machines are fully automated (that is, no longer need human control) in the next few decades, and the number of machines is steadily increasing, the labor market constantly needs and will need professional machinists for a long time to come. Therefore, many yesterday's schoolchildren prefer not to chase fashion, choosing the professions of an economist or lawyer that are popular today, but enroll in training in the specialty "engine driver", since this profession guarantees a stable income, regardless of the economic situation in the country.

Who is a machinist?

A qualified specialist whose professional activity is to operate machines of various types and purposes. Note that depending on which machine the specialist operates, the term "driver" is always supplemented by the type of machine. At the same time, some professions related to the management of certain types of machines have nothing to do with the term "driver". For example, a driver drives a car, and a pilot drives an airplane.

The name of the profession comes from the Latin māchina (tool, device, mechanism). Interestingly, in pre-Petrine Russia, all mechanical devices were called "colossus", and only then this word acquired a slightly different meaning, and mechanisms began to be called the German word Maschine. The first cars appeared in ancient times, and accordingly, the profession of the same name arose at the same time.

But if at the dawn of the formation of the profession, machinists controlled primitive lifting mechanisms (blocks and levers) and military equipment, then modern specialists control a huge amount of very different equipment, the control of which is akin to controlling a spaceship: cranes, trains, manipulators, excavators, etc. True, in everyday life, most specialists are called by the name of the equipment they operate: crane operator, bulldozer operator, excavator operator.

Regardless of which machine a specialist works on, the professional duties of all machinists are approximately the same: operating a mechanical device, maintaining cleanliness in the workplace, strict adherence to safety precautions during work, monitoring the condition of the technical equipment and timely passing the technical inspection of the machine, etc.

What personal qualities should a machinist have?

Since any machine belongs to high-risk devices, the driver must, first of all, be very attentive and responsible. Besides, driver work assumes that the specialist has such personal qualities as:

• stress tolerance;
• accuracy;
• endurance;
• concentration;
• love for technology
• courage;
• ability to react quickly in unforeseen situations;
• developed hand coordination;
• good reaction.

It is also necessary to understand that the work of a machinist is physically hard work, therefore, representatives of this profession must be strong, not only physically, but also mentally.

Benefits of being a machinist

Since no sphere of human life today can do without the use of technical devices, the demand for specialists capable of operating machines has always been and will be consistently high for a long time to come. That is, immediately after graduation, a young specialist is guaranteed to be able to find a job in his specialty (though, in some cases, he will first have to work as an "assistant driver" for some time).

Another advantage of the profession of a machinist we can safely name a fairly decent level of earnings - according to the latest statistics, the average salary of a machinist in Russia is 40 thousand rubles. Agree, for a working profession this is a lot.

It is also important that the profession of a machinist, which, by the way, enjoys well-deserved respect, makes it possible to feel its significance and "usefulness" for society. After all, thanks to these specialists, we can quickly get from one place to another by train or metro, build multi-storey buildings, easily move multi-ton items, etc.

Disadvantages of the profession of a machinist

Speaking of disadvantages of the profession of a machinist First of all, it is necessary to note the difficult working conditions. As a rule, drivers work in shifts. At the same time, the shift lasts more than 8 hours, which is difficult not only physically, but also emotionally. Maybe that's why this profession is considered to be exclusively "male" - it's hard to imagine a representative of the beautiful half of humanity at the control panel of a tower crane or driving a bulldozer.

In addition, the great psychological stress in the work of the driver creates a huge responsibility, since the health and life of many people sometimes depend on his professionalism. Because of this, the driver can only get permission to work after a medical examination, including a psychological state.

Where can you get a job as a machinist?

Get a job as a driver, regardless of the direction of the specialist's activity, it is possible in a specialized secondary educational institution. However, this process of learning, most often, does not stop. Firstly, since the technology is constantly being improved and updated, the driver has to periodically undergo retraining or improve his qualifications. Secondly, some specializations, for example, the profession of an electric train driver, involve not only obtaining practical skills in the position electric train driver, the specialist must work as an assistant driver for at least 3 years before he is allowed to independently manage the train), but also the passage of additional courses.

Progress is relentlessly moving forward, transforming everything around, and the railway is no exception. Over the past decade, quite a few new models of trains have been released that can operate in semi-automatic mode. However, this did not change the fact that two people must manage the train: the driver and his assistant.

So, what is the profession of an assistant machinist? Is it hard to master? And what advantages and disadvantages does it have?

general information

The assistant driver of a diesel locomotive or electric locomotive is a position that is available in any railway brigade. Without the presence of this specialist, the train simply will not be released from the depot. Therefore, the assistant driver is an integral part of the work team.

However, not everyone can apply for this position. Which, in fact, is not surprising, because the duties of an assistant driver require the candidate to have certain personal qualities and professional skills.

What should be the driver's assistant?

First, let's look at what qualities this employee should have. After all, the specifics of this profession greatly limits the circle of potential candidates.

So, the main criteria for such a profession as an assistant driver are as follows:

• A good memory in order to learn all the necessary information for the care of the train.
• The severity of the reaction, because much depends on how quickly he notices changes in instrument readings or the approach of danger.
• Responsibility, because the better he performs his work, the higher the safety of passengers and cargo.
• Analytical mind. All operations will be associated with mechanized processes, which requires a certain view of things.
• Long journeys and irregular shifts, taking place in constant pitching, affect health. Therefore, you need to have good endurance and stress resistance.

Where to get an education?

Assistant driver of an electric locomotive (diesel locomotive) is a profession that requires special education. Get it in a specialized technical school or college. You can find such an educational institution in many regional and regional centers of the country, while the selection conditions will be the same almost everywhere.

However, it should be noted that hundreds of applicants apply for this profession every year. Because of this, fierce competition arises, complicating the admission process.

Duties of an Assistant Driver

As mentioned earlier, the assistant driver should always give all the best and perform the duties entrusted to him with high quality. After all, not only the technical serviceability of the train mechanisms, but also the safety of passengers depends on this.

So, the main duties of the assistant driver:

1. Checking all mechanisms and units of the locomotive before it is sent. If there are malfunctions or defects, he must eliminate them himself or report possible problems to the mechanic of the railway brigade.
2. During the movement of the train, the assistant must monitor the readings of the instruments, respond to the dispatcher's radio requests, and also observe the actions of the driver.
3. If necessary (malfunctions, inability of the driver to perform his duties, emergency), he must take control of the train or stop it.
4. At the end of the trip, the assistant checks the condition of the locomotive and, together with his immediate supervisor, drives it to sidings.

Advantages and disadvantages of the profession

The main advantage of this work is the salary, the level of which can be assessed as "above average". There is also career growth, which encourages further work.

Among the minuses, first of all, it should be noted that these specialists have to spend a lot of time traveling, and this has a bad effect on their personal lives.