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69-591: The New Generation Rollingstock ( NGR ) is a class of individually-propelled carriages (" electric multiple units ") manufactured by Bombardier Transportation in Savli , India for the Queensland Rail City network that entered service between December 2017 and December 2019. They are Queensland Rail's largest fleet of electric trains. In January 2014, the Queensland Government awarded

138-459: A brakeman , flagman , ticket collector , assistant conductor , and on board service personnel , and is responsible for the movement of the train. The engineer (driver) takes direction from the conductor. The portman (station master), and additional engine crew members ( fireman , pilot engineer) share responsibility for safe and efficient train operation and adherence to railway rules and procedures. On some railroads, union contracts specify that

207-426: A conductor must progress to engineer. Other duties carried out by the conductor include: Passenger trains may employ one or more brakemen/assistant conductors who assist the conductor and engineer in the safe and prompt movement of the train, to share the workload, and accept delegated responsibility. If a train crew's route, or tour of duty, exceeds a single shift, or conflicts with a legal or contractual limit on

276-425: A motorman and a conductor. The conductor is located in the cab of the second-last car of the train. When a train arrives at a station, the conductor opens the doors using cab controls. Two sets of controls are provided on each side of the cab for this purpose. There are two door zones: One set of controls operates the doors in the conductor's car and the doors forward of that car, and the other set of controls operates

345-512: A "train host", with a focus on customer service rather than railroad operations. Some other services, such as Amtrak's Downeaster , also use train hosts to assist the assistant conductor with non-revenue-related customer service duties. In subway trains, the conductor's basic duties are: All heavy rail trains in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operate with two-person crews consisting of

414-514: A contract for 75 six-carriage electric multiple units to the Qtectic consortium of Aberdeen Asset Management , Bombardier Transportation , Itochu and John Laing under a 32-year public private partnership . They are the first QR electric multiple units manufactured overseas instead of in Maryborough by Downer Rail (formerly Walkers ). The NGRs were built in Savli , India. The design

483-440: A disabled or derailed train. If a driver becomes incapacitated, the guard is the only person who can protect the train. Other day-to-day duties include operating the public address system and train doors. Under British Rail , there were several grades of guard, depending on whether the guard worked on freight or passenger trains—and a purely operational guard grade worked freight and passenger trains without customer contact. When

552-654: A driver and a train manager (guard) as a minimum. In Wellington , where ticketing is still paper-based, each train has between one and three passenger operators (ticket collectors). The exact number of passenger operators depends on how many multiple units or carriages make up the train. In Auckland , off-board ticketing and smartcard systems have reduced the staff level to driver and train manager only. Auckland train managers are now not responsible for revenue on trains, as Revenue Protection officers carry out these roles. A conductor ( Zugführer or Zugchef in German) supervises

621-445: A driver and guard. Guards were removed from freight trains in the 1980s, but they still operate with a two-man locomotive crew. Sydney Trains , which operates metropolitan trains, and intercity trains, have a train guard. Guards are ultimately responsible for the safety of all passengers on the train. They control the operation of doors and the train public address system , perform platform duties, provide basic customer service, ensure

690-418: A motorman and conductor. The conductor is located in the middle of the train and is responsible for opening the doors and closing them. When a train arrives at a station, the conductor verifies the train alignment on the platform by observing a black-and-white "zebra board" mounted to the platform wall or ceiling. When a train is aligned properly, the 6-feet long zebra board should be located directly opposite of

759-551: A proposal existed to reinstate guards on some peak train services, but that option was rejected in favour of hiring additional platform staff. Regional trains operated by V/Line have a driver and conductor. The conductor performs platform duties and, on locomotive-hauled services, operates the train doors and handles passenger luggage. Conductors are responsible for internal mail, passenger safety and assistance, including on board announcements, and perform ticket sales and inspection duties. Adelaide Metro 's metropolitan rail network

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828-404: A train enters a station, the conductor opens the doors from a control panel on the appropriate side of the car. There are two separate controls, one set operates just the doors in the conductor's car, and another set operates the rest of the doors. As the doors open, the conductor opens the cab window to observe passenger boarding and exiting. After a preliminary observation that the doors are clear,

897-925: A train has traditionally been called the guard , a term that derives from stagecoach days. Until the latter part of the 20th century, guards on passenger trains in those countries did not have routine responsibilities for ticket inspection or sale. Their job focused on the safe operation of their train, timekeeping, and handling parcels and other consignments. A dedicated "travelling ticket inspector" handled revenue protection duties. In recent years, guards have been dispensed with and passenger train conductors have been assigned more responsibility for on-train revenue collection and ticket inspection. As well as ticketing and customer care, guards must be trained in "emergency protection" duties, should an emergency arise, along with other operational roles. That involves using emergency equipment such as detonators, track circuit clips and flags, to prevent other trains colliding with, for example,

966-421: A whistle to attract the driver's attention and to warn passengers that the train is about to move, even though the electronic communication systems are now very sophisticated. On long-distance expresses, the conductor's title is sometimes enhanced to senior conductor, in line with the implied prestige of operating those trains. Historically, under British Rail, long-distance intercity trains were normally worked by

1035-710: A yard that utilizes RCO switching). As there is no explicit federal requirement for a two-person train crew in the United States, the Utah Transit Authority originally planned their FrontRunner service to be operated by an operator only, with revenue collected by a proof-of-payment system. Before operation began, the FRA required FrontRunner to employ a second crewmember on each train to assist with emergency evacuation, disabled access, and other safety-sensitive situations. FrontRunner classified this job as

1104-615: Is an example of that. Currently, several titles describe a guard: train manager , train host or conductor . South Western Railway and Merseyrail still use the term guard . The role of the guard is set out by a mixture of the Railway Rule Book and train operating companies. In Australia, there is a combination of driver-only operated trains and trains with a guard, depending largely on state-based railway practice. All passenger trains in New South Wales operate with

1173-560: Is completely new, and the trains are fitted with nose cones to resemble the existing Electric Tilt Trains for improved aerodynamic performance as opposed to the exposed Scharfenberg couplers used by the existing fleet. The body style differs using flat steel panels on the sides, while retaining corrugated panels for the rooftop. The first arrived at the Port of Brisbane in February 2016. The first three entered service on 11 December 2017 on

1242-478: Is configured for driver-only operation, but also operate with passenger service assistants (PSAs). That is safety role, but has a focus on customer service and revenue protection. Normally, the train driver operates the doors, but PSAs are also able to. The Ghan , Great Southern , Indian Pacific and The Overland all have so-called train managers. Transperth trains are all driver-only operated. In New Zealand, inner-city commuter rail networks are staffed by

1311-461: Is known as a Passenger Service Supervisor (PSS). While still responsible for the safety of passengers, the PSS is also in charge of delivering customer service and a number of value-add functions on the train including ticket inspections and manning the cafe alongside Passenger Attendants. On Xplorer trains, the driver operates the doors when the PSS gives clearance to depart. On XPT trains, the PSS performs

1380-405: Is responsible for door control and observation and is located in the rear cab of the last car in a train. A trainline buzzer system is used to notify the motorman that it is safe to proceed. After arrival at a station and before opening the doors, the conductor will verify the train alignment by observing a green triangle placed on the station wall. The green triangle marks the stopping location of

1449-454: Is somewhat different because its heavy rail lines use a combination of single-person and two-person crews. On the TTC's Line 1 and Line 2 , trains operate with a crew of two train operators, consisting of a motorman and a conductor. The employees who perform these roles are cross-trained, and switch roles each time when a train reaches the end of a line and needs to reverse direction. The conductor

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1518-400: Is trapped between the doors and is dragged along the platform. The conductor is required to observe the forward and rear cars at least twice during these observations. Each PATH train operates with a two-person crew consisting of a motorman and conductor. The conductor is responsible for door operation and making announcements. The conductor is located in the rear end of the first car. When

1587-713: The Airport and Gold Coast lines. By the time of the Commonwealth Games in April 2018, eight had entered service. The trains received media controversy over a series of issues such as the toilet module size falling short by 12 mm (0.47 in), and inability for wheelchair to access the toilet from one of the two accessible cars. Because of the NGRs' non-compliance with disability legislation, all platforms they serve are required to be staffed. Initially confined to

1656-640: The Australian Human Rights Commission was rejected, the need for rectification was clear. It was determined that the position of the boarding ramps next to the train door was the reason for the toilet module not meeting DDA’s minimum size requirements. The first, 735, arrived at Maryborough for rectification work in January 2019 and the last, 771, in late April 2024. The project was completed in July 2024. The rectification work solves

1725-500: The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers does not support this movement, claiming that requiring its members to operate trains alone would be unsafe. By the late 1990s, remote control locomotives were increasingly popular on North American railroads for switching duties in rail yards. This system allows the conductor to directly control the locomotive(s) via a wireless remote unit, as opposed to radioing commands to an engineer in

1794-589: The Budd Metroliner . EMUs powered by fuel cells are under development. If successful, this would avoid the need for an overhead line or third rail . An example is Alstom ’s hydrogen -powered Coradia iLint . The term hydrail has been coined for hydrogen-powered rail vehicles. Many battery electric multiple units are in operation around the world, with the take up being strong. Many are bi-modal taking energy from onboard battery banks and line pickups such as overhead wires or third rail. In most cases

1863-622: The South Side Elevated Railroad (now part of the Chicago 'L' ) in 1897. In 1895, derived from his company's invention and production of direct current elevator control systems, Frank Sprague invented a multiple unit controller for electric train operation. This accelerated the construction of electric traction railways and trolley systems worldwide. Each car of the train has its own traction motors: by means of motor control relays in each car energized by train-line wires from

1932-585: The Sunshine Coast line to Nambour . As of March 2020, they operate passenger services across the City network except for the Sunshine Coast line north of Nambour, Beenleigh , Ferny Grove and Rosewood lines. NGRs will not operate on Sunshine Coast line services north of Nambour until signalling upgrades to Gympie North have been completed. Currently trains are required to be compatible with

2001-809: The Airport and Gold Coast lines, in May 2018 they began operating on the Doomben line , followed by Roma Street to Northgate services in July and Redcliffe and Springfield line services in September. In October 2018, they began operating on the Ipswich and Caboolture lines. In February 2019, they began to operate to Shorncliffe and Cleveland. The same month, the NGRs became the largest fleet of electric trains in Queensland. In March 2020 they commenced operating on

2070-639: The Northern Line; following their withdrawal on 27 January 2000, all trains on the London Underground have been DOO. In 2003, a controversial amendment to the UK operational rule book moved part of the guard's safety and operational role to the driver. With rail service privatisation, train operating companies attempted to bring in DOO to other network areas, c2c operating from London Fenchurch Street

2139-448: The ancillary equipment required per set) while allowing all cars to be powered, unlike a motor-trailer combination. Each car has only one control cab, located at the outer end of the pair, saving space and expense over a cab at both ends of each car. Disadvantages include a loss of operational flexibility, as trains must be multiples of two cars, and a failure on a single car could force removing both it and its partner from service. Some of

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2208-411: The batteries are charged via the electric pickup when operating on electric mode. EMUs, when compared with electric locomotives , offer: Electric locomotives, when compared to EMUs, offer: Conductor (rail) A conductor ( North American English ) or guard ( Commonwealth English ) is a train crew member responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve actual operation of

2277-404: The brakes, calculating braking power for the engineer, and other technical subjects related to the cars. They are further trained in customer services and selling and checking tickets. On local trains, and depending on the level of automations, the duties of a conductor can be taken over by other personnel or left to automatic systems. In Hungary a conductor may assist the train driver in testing

2346-467: The cab. Some Class I rail yards utilize RCO packs for their conductors, while others do not, depending on the size and type of yard. Class I railroads train conductors on the use of RCO packs with classroom and hands-on instruction, culminating with on-the-job training and certification as a RCO operator. Currently, Class I railroads such as Norfolk Southern require RCO qualified conductors to work from job boards that perform RCO operations exclusively (when in

2415-502: The center of the train where they can best view the platform. While advances in automation allow most transit systems to use one person train operation (OPTO), a few, such as the New York City Subway , Toronto Transit Commission and Sydney Trains continue to employ Guards. In North America, the conductor manages a freight, passenger, or other type of train , and directly supervises the train crew, which can include

2484-416: The conductor and should be directly in front of the conductor's cab. The conductor is required to confirm the stop position to the motorman by pointing out the cab window at the green triangle with their index finger. One set of door controls is provided in the cab to close all the doors at once. A door opening chime is played when the doors open. The conductor sticks their head out the cab window to observe

2553-414: The conductor and those for the doors to the rear of the conductor. After the doors are opened, the conductor sticks their head out the window to observe passenger boarding and exiting. The doors stay open for at least ten seconds, and when the conductor decides to close the doors, the conductor announces a door-closing warning using a PA system on the train. When the platform is clear, the conductor closes

2622-484: The conductor from the rear of the train to the locomotive (or locomotives) at the head of the train. In most cases, these same conditions gradually eliminated members of the train crew, such as the head brakemen, flagmen, and others. Most freight trains on most railroads today have a crew of two: one engineer and one conductor. Railroad companies continue to press for reduced operating and labor costs and this threatens to eliminate second men. Railroads rationalize that since

2691-402: The conductor uses the train's PA system to warn passengers that the train doors are closing. When the doors are observed to be clear, the conductor closes the doors in their car. When the locked-door signal is received, the rear car doors are closed. When all the doors are closed, the conductor removes the door key, which tells the motorman to proceed. The conductor then observes the platform until

2760-417: The conductor's cab. Before opening the doors, the train conductor is to open the cab window and point to the zebra board with their index finger to confirm the stop position to the motorman. The doors, operated from a control panel located on the appropriate side of the car, are opened once the alignment verification is made. Like MBTA, there are two separate controls for the doors, those for doors forward of

2829-474: The conventional guard was on Southern rail, after a two-year dispute between the train operating company and the workforce, which ultimately led to the guards losing their safety-critical roles. British Rail first introduced that on some commuter services in London and Glasgow , as well as on almost all non-passenger trains. The last London Underground trains to operate with guards were the 1959 stock used on

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2898-417: The disability access problem by providing a toilet module for both centre (wheelchair accessible) cars. This means that wheelchairs no longer have to travel around the toilets to access them from behind. No major changes were made to the general seating other than recovering some of the seats with priority labelling including some transverse seats with high backs and no arm rests. More help points were added in

2967-497: The doors in the rear cars. When a locked-door signal is received, the conductor closes the doors in the forward section of the train. Door chimes warn passengers that the doors are closing. When all the doors are closed, the conductor removes the door key, which alerts the motorman that it is safe to proceed. As the train departs the station, the conductor observes the platform for a distance of three car lengths. Station departure observations are made to ensure that no passenger or item

3036-448: The doors to the rear of the conductor's car. When passengers have completed boarding or exiting, the conductor looks forward and closes the doors forward of their cab. This process is repeated for the doors to the rear of the conductor's cab. A door chime is used to notify the passengers that the doors are closing. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (New York City) transit system operates trains using two-person crews consisting of

3105-506: The engineer is already qualified as a conductor, he can easily assume the duties of a conductor. In fact, on most railroads, engineers begin as brakemen, then become conductors, and finally engineers. Some railroads already implement such a strategy, notably the Montana Rail Link , and operate with an engineer, and a conductor. However, most railroads are contractually obligated to employ a brakeman/assistant conductor in addition to

3174-690: The engineer, via crew consist agreements negotiated with the major rail unions, primarily the United Transportation Union (UTU). Therefore, eliminating the conductor's position would require that the railroads and unions negotiate a new agreement. If the railroads were successful, conductors already trained and certified as engineers would theoretically be able to work as engineers. Those that have not yet progressed to engineer would have to be trained as engineers as positions became available. Others would have to accept other positions or possibly lose their jobs. The primary union for engineers,

3243-553: The entire length of the train, consequently eliminating the need to couple with another unit. Guards travel at the rear as opposed to the middle with the existing fleet, where two three-car units couple to form a six-car unit. Utilising the same traction equipment based on Bombardier Aventras as well as being compatible with the European Train Control System , the NGR, along with upgraded SMU 260 trains, will be

3312-441: The extra equipment needed to transmit electric power to the train can be difficult. Multiple unit train control was first used in the 1890s. The Liverpool Overhead Railway opened in 1893 with two-car electric multiple units, controllers in cabs at both ends directly controlling the traction current to motors on both cars. The multiple unit traction control system was developed by Frank Sprague and first applied and tested on

3381-399: The front car all of the traction motors in the train are controlled in unison. The cars that form a complete EMU set can usually be separated by function into four types: power car, motor car, driving car, and trailer car. Each car can have more than one function, such as a motor-driving car or power-driving car. On third rail systems, the outer vehicles usually carry the pick up shoes with

3450-479: The guard has significant customer contact, the position is usually classified as conductor-guard or conductor. Since British Rail, there have been a number of titles for a guard's grade but, with a few exceptions, all now perform some sort of customer-facing role. There have been other disputes over guards on Merseyrail , CrossCountry , Govia Thameslink Railway , South Western Railway , Northern Rail , First Great Western , ScotRail , most of which have been won by

3519-625: The large priority stickers on the windows all along the train. More stickers are present within the train as well. Some changes were made to signage throughout the train on the advice of disability groups; purportedly as "better wording" but the differences would be minor to the average person - intended instead for the minority of people with literacy difficulties (see difference between green emergency door release wording above). [REDACTED] Media related to New Generation Rollingstock at Wikimedia Commons Electric multiple unit EMUs are popular on commuter, and suburban rail networks around

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3588-874: The more famous electric multiple units in the world are high-speed trains: the Italian Pendolino and Frecciarossa 1000 , Shinkansen in Japan, the China Railway High-speed in China, ICE 3 in Germany, and the British Rail class 395 Javelin. The retired New York–Washington Metroliner service, first operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad and later by Amtrak , also featured high-speed electric multiple-unit cars, known as

3657-449: The most senior guards at the depot, hence the name senior conductor. Several more recent private UK passenger train operators have renamed the senior conductor's passenger-facing title to "train manager". The RSSB rulebook still refers collectively to those individuals as guards. On UK railways, modernisation and economic pressure has led to some trains losing their guards and becoming driver-only-operated (DOO). The most recent axing of

3726-624: The motor vehicles receiving the current via intra-unit connections . Many modern two-car EMU sets are set up as twin or "married pair" units. While both units in a married pair are typically driving motors, the ancillary equipment (air compressor and tanks, batteries and charging equipment, traction power and control equipment, etc.) are shared between the two cars in the set. Since neither car can operate without its "partner", such sets are permanently coupled and can only be split at maintenance facilities. Advantages of married pair units include weight and cost savings over single-unit cars (due to halving

3795-659: The number of work hours, more than one crew may be assigned, each with its own brakeman/assistant conductor. Onboard service crew members on passenger trains normally remain on duty for the entire run, including assigned meal and sleep breaks. Since nearly the beginning of railroading in North America, the conductor on freight trains rode aboard a caboose , along with the rear flagman and the rear brakeman, and performed duties from there. Advances in technology and pressure to reduce operating costs made cabooses redundant, and in most cases they have been eliminated. This relocated

3864-491: The only trains permitted to travel in the Cross River Rail tunnels. NGR units are also noted to have contain gangway connection doors but are almost never used. PIS screens on the platform shows an NGR Icon for that service if the service is being operated by an NGR train. Work to rectify the non-compliant parts of the trains was performed by Downer Rail's Maryborough facility. After an exemption application to

3933-637: The operation of Automatic Train Protection which isn't fitted on the NGRs. The last NGR, unit 775, entered service in January 2020. The NGRs are maintained at a purpose built depot to the west of Wulkuraka station . The new trains have allowed the full withdrawal InterCity Express sets and the partial withdrawal of the Electric Multiple Unit fleet . The trains increase the size of the fleet by 26%. The NGRs feature high-backed seats, safety straps for bike storage, luggage space underneath

4002-492: The operational safety of a train and is responsible for its proper operation. He or she is authorized to issue instructions to all employees, for example train attendants, on the train. The conductor also provides passenger service and checks tickets together with the train attendants. The conductor determines if a train is ready to depart from a platform and orders the engineer to depart via visual or aural signals. Conductors are trained in coupling and uncoupling cars, operating of

4071-426: The platform and doors, and when the doors are clear, they will press a button that closes the doors. At exactly the same time, door closing chimes are played, followed by an automated announcement of "please stand clear of the doors". The conductor will use the buzzer to notify the motorman that the train can proceed. When the train begins to leave the station, the conductor will observe the platform with their head out

4140-423: The platform duties of a guard in conjunction with the driver. Passenger trains are operated by Queensland Rail , and all have both a driver and guard for suburban passenger services, or a passenger services supervisor for long-distance services. Trains in metropolitan Melbourne have been driver-only since the early 1990s. When the city's rail franchise was offered to the current operator, Metro Trains Melbourne ,

4209-593: The seats unlike the Interurban Multiple Units that have luggage racks, mobility toilet with baby changing table, free public WiFi and CCTV. Each NGR unit comprises two driving motor cars (prefixes 3 and 8) at each end, coupled to two trailer cars (prefixes 4 and 7) and two intermediate motor cars in the middle (prefixes 5 and 6, with Motor car B currently featuring the toilet module on original trains and both on upgraded trains). As they are permanently coupled six-car units, passengers are able to walk

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4278-448: The space between the two toilet modules. The toilet modules were made disability compliant by moving the toilet front side and door at least 12 mm (0.47 in) closer to the external doors, while leaving the toilet bowl in the original location. Labelling and other minor changes were made in the toilet module as well, such as the installation of lights that warn in the event of an evacuation. These trains can be easily identified by

4347-782: The train has left the station. Traditionally, an 'L' motorman would operate the train, and a conductor would open/close the doors and make station announcements. However, with the opening of the Yellow Line in 1964, the Chicago Transit Authority began phasing out conductors. All lines were converted to one-person operation by 1998, making the CTA the first transit agency in the nation to do so system-wide. The elimination of conductors saved an estimated $ 13.8 million, and most were re-trained as customer service reps at stations or supervisors. The Toronto Transit Commission

4416-411: The train runs to schedule, and accept and deliver internal mail. On Sydney Trains, the guard is located in the middle of older trains, but on the newer Waratah trains, and on certain intercity services, they work from the rear. The guard is not responsible for inspecting tickets, a role performed by Transport Officers and NSW Police. On NSW TrainLink regional Xplorer and XPT services the train guard

4485-493: The train's air brakes, and sometimes they have to lead the shunting, mostly when the trains are switching lines. Hungarian train conductors are responsible for the departure of the trains. In each station they give the permission to move on by giving a ready signal to the train driver. During the day they use a disc (which is white and has a green border) to give the ready signal to the train driver. After sunset they give signals with flashlights. Train drivers are not allowed to move

4554-546: The train/locomotive. The conductor title is most common in North American railway operations, but the role is common worldwide under various job titles. In Commonwealth English, a conductor is also known as guard or train manager. The responsibilities of a conductor or guard typically include the following: Some rapid transit systems employ conductors to make announcements and open and close doors, duties otherwise performed by engineers . The conductor often stays in

4623-404: The window. An orange triangle, placed on the platform wall, marks the location where the conductor may cease platform departure observations and pull their head back into the cab. It is a safety precaution to watch the platform to make sure that no passenger is being dragged by the train into the tunnel. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the person with ultimate responsibility for operation of

4692-492: The workforce and their union, the RMT. In the UK, guard duties include: It was a well-known British tradition for a guard to have two signal flags : a red one to signal the driver to stop, and a green one to signal the driver to depart. Nowadays, these flags are seldom used except on heritage railways. At night, the guard gave the signals using a lamp with red and green lights instead of using flags. Guards still occasionally use

4761-459: The world due to their fast acceleration and pollution-free operation, and are used on most rapid-transit systems. Being quieter than diesel multiple units (DMUs) and locomotive -hauled trains, EMUs can operate later at night and more frequently without disturbing nearby residents. In addition, tunnel design for EMU trains is simpler as no provision is needed for exhausting fumes, although retrofitting existing limited-clearance tunnels to accommodate

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