How Does Railroad Dispatching Work?

You might have observed that at a railroad crossing, the train rushes by as the red lights blink. But have you ever wondered how it performs so safely?

The simple answer is a railroad train dispatcher, a railroad employee responsible for directing the arrival and departure of trains within a specified territory. Train dispatching is crucial, as dispatchers are ultimately responsible for safely moving trains across a railroad's network and ensuring it is performed efficiently.

What do train dispatchers do?

In simple language, train dispatchers are the people who give trains their commands. They are responsible for ensuring trains and crews move safely and efficiently across a railroad's network and providing no train is delayed unnecessarily.

But before getting into the details of what train dispatchers do, it is beneficial to back up a step and discuss what happens before dispatchers perform their jobs.

The dispatcher collects this information and uses it to give trains their commands. When they leave the yard, how far they are allowed to travel and how fast they can travel. The dispatcher's job is similar to that of an air traffic controller, except they manage trains on the ground instead of planes in the air.

How are dispatchers trained?

Perhaps the perfect word for how dispatchers are trained is "thoroughly".  At RailRCS, the trainee dispatchers receive a combination of classroom and on-the-job freight dispatcher training programs. Then they are asked to appear for the tests based on their skills. Only those who score 95 percent or higher on proficiency tests continue.

Train dispatchers are responsible for taking care of train crews and engineering professionals' safety in the communities through which trains travel. Therefore, training must be taken very seriously when human lives are at stake.

Final Thoughts

Dispatchers have a difficult job but a significant one. They are crucial in keeping freight moving across the country and ensuring it's done safely. Connect with RailRCS- a contract train dispatching company, to learn more about how trains are dispatched or how to ship by rail.