Major Responsibilities of a Railroad Dispatcher

Have you seen a traffic policeman standing in the road and controlling the traffic? Well, we all are aware of the traffic police responsible for enforcing the traffic rule and regulations. But have you seen a policeman standing on the railway line and controlling the railway traffic? Who controls the railway traffic? The answer is a railroad dispatcher. A dispatcher supervises and controls the traffic on the railway lines.

There are many companies providing dispatching services, freight dispatch services, and compliance services in railroads.  They have trained, certified, and experienced railway dispatchers. Let us know the roles and responsibilities of a railroad dispatcher -

Train movement – Dispatchers manage the uninterrupted flow of all the train movements. They identify the interruption and try to solve it. Dispatchers communicate with the connecting divisions and maintain the railway traffic smoothly.

Emergency situations - Dispatcher should be skilled to handle the emergency situations. They should be trained in handling the emergency medical dispatching, or a natural disaster.

Coordinate – It is the responsibility of a dispatcher to coordinate between the stations and terminal yards. They direct the safe and efficient movement of the train according to schedule and priorities.

Rules and regulations – Dispatchers make sure that all the rules, policies, and procedures are being followed. It includes the train orders, railroad rules and regulations, signals, and the guidelines prepared by the authorities. Dispatchers are responsible for maintaining the safety rules and regulations.

Track usage – It is the job of dispatchers to coordinate with the management and track maintenance department. They coordinate the track usage between train crews, and other departments.

The job of a dispatcher is very complex as they have a major responsibility of handling the railroad. A small mistake can cost the lives of many humans. It is important to hire a certified and well-trained dispatcher. Some companies dealing in the dispatching services, railroad compliance services, and customer services also provide training courses to dispatchers. It is better to hire a dispatcher from a reliable company for quality service.