Job description Centralized Traffic Controller - Railway Traffic in the Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie Region

Find out what work is like for a centralized traffic controller - railway traffic in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators (NOC 72604).

Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators

Description

Railway traffic controllers coordinate passenger and freight train traffic on railways. They are employed by rail transport companies. Marine traffic regulators monitor and regulate coastal and inland marine traffic within assigned waterways. They are employed by port, harbour, canal and lock authorities and by the Canadian Coast Guard.

Work week duration

Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators usually work more than 40 hours per week.
More than 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Railway traffic controllers
  • Operate and monitor centralized traffic control systems to coordinate and follow railway traffic
  • Chart train movements, calculate arrival and departure times and record rail traffic information
  • Issue instructions to control the movement of passenger and freight train traffic and on-track mobile maintenance equipment
  • Receive, record and relay train instructions to train crew by hand or radio telephone
  • May supervise and train other railway traffic controllers.
  • Marine traffic regulators
  • Direct and monitor vessel movements using radar or closed circuit monitors, remote radio systems and other telecommunication equipment
  • Obtain position, course, speed and estimated arrival time of vessels and monitor vessel progress through traffic zone
  • Issue clearance instructions to vessels, advise vessels of traffic volumes and weather conditions, and relay information to next marine traffic control sector
  • Report accidents, distress signals, navigational hazards and other emergencies to authorities
  • Maintain radio and telephone contact with adjacent marine control sectors and with vessels within area of jurisdiction
  • Maintain log of vessel movements, size and structure.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Sitting
  • Making repetitive motions

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Railway transport companies

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Sound and noise

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Somewhat close (e.g. share office)

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 72604), and a list of similar occupations:

  • chief rail traffic controller
  • marine traffic regulator
  • rail traffic controller
  • train operator

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Railway traffic controllers and marine traffic regulators in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey

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