Work as a train driver long distance is one of the most promising. Here they pay well, well rewarded. How to become a long distance train driver? Let's figure it out.
And here's what you need to understand right away. This work is exclusively male and difficult. There are no self-taught people in this profession; they will not be hired here if they have health problems.
And most importantly, this profession cannot be mastered in courses, it can be obtained only after passing a full-fledged training. The good news is that training as a long-distance train driver really gives the maximum salary opportunities in Russian Railways among drivers and fully pays for all the time spent.
Long distance train driver training
Anyone who has completed training at a railway college, technical school or institute can become a long-distance driver. Only after the education is received, you can get a job at the depot as an assistant driver.
At the same time, in order to start a career and become a long-distance train driver earlier and not waste time in vain, especially since everything has already been decided with the profession, you can act after 9 classes of school.
Graduates of the 9th grade are accepted for study by railway technical schools and colleges. Students study disciplines: technical specifications, rules for the movement of a locomotive on a railway, safety precautions, plumbing, radio communications, locomotive devices, electrics and other others, this knowledge is quite enough to drive a train.
Training as a long-distance train driver at a university
The machinist's career will go faster if there is a diploma of higher education. After a technical school or 11th grade of a school, you can enter the Institute of Communications. In universities, they study the same disciplines as in colleges, only according to an in-depth program. University graduates, having completed successful training, have all the privileges to get a job at Russian Railways and work as a long-distance train driver.
How to become a long-distance train driver at Russian Railways?
There is still an opportunity to unlearn at specialized training centers at the Russian Railways. In such centers, they pass theory, practice, and at the end of the training course, after successfully passing exams, they issue a certificate with the right to drive a train. But these are not training courses, but full-fledged and rather lengthy training.
It’s hard to say where and how to unlearn to become a long-distance train driver. Each case is individual. It is obvious that those who successfully pass all stages of training definitely find their place among the employees. There are many trains and there are always places in Russian Railways.
But let the profession is not so simple and does not end with training at an educational institution. When you already have a diploma of education in your hands, you will need to proceed to the next stage - an internship.
The trainee usually works under the tutelage of an experienced machinist who has at least 3 years of work experience. The assistant driver will be trained for at least 3 months, and practical training will end only when the driver sees that the trainee is ready for long-distance flights with passengers on his own. Then he will be able to drive the locomotive and he is awarded the qualification of a train driver.
This does not mean that the long-distance train driver ends his training at this point. Now his career begins. Then he takes a course for advanced training in specialized licensed institutions.
In total, drivers have 3 skill levels:
- The first level is 3rd grade. The driver must work driving the locomotive without accidents for one year.
- The second level is the assignment of class 2. The driver must work in suburban communications, transporting passengers or goods for at least 2 years, if there is a diploma of higher or secondary special education, then at least 1 year without accidents.
- The highest level is the assignment of 1 class. After the driver has received the 2nd class of qualification, he must work for at least 2 years without accidents, as for graduates, at least one year.
Each stage of the category upgrade is accompanied by a medical commission and, if identified, the slightest problem with health, you can forget about a career. But such is the work in this profession, and when choosing training as a long-distance train driver, this must be taken into account.
At the driver, each work shift begins with a medical examination and briefing. He should replace rested, healthy and with focused attention.
Let's summarize how to become a long-distance train driver. The first step will be admission to a college, university or technical school. You can enter a college and a technical school after grades 9 and 11, to an institute - after 11 grades of school and after graduating from college.
Based on the results of the training, the graduate is waiting for an internship as an assistant under the guidance of a mentor - a machinist. During the internship, the assistant gains experience, and also improves his qualifications, and if everything is done correctly, he passes the medical commission, receives a category and starts work.
Here's how to become a long-distance train driver and here's what you need to do to get there.
train driver- a railway operator operating passenger and freight trains, electric trains of various messages and destinations. The driver drives the train by driving the locomotive. The profession is suitable for those who are interested in physics and labor and economy (see the choice of profession for interest in school subjects).
Features of the profession
Trains differ in the type of locomotive (diesel locomotive / electric locomotive), as well as in range and purpose of routes. For example, long-distance trains can carry goods and passengers for thousands of kilometers, while commuter trains do not leave the region and make several trips a day. There are railways and trains on major industrial enterprises(factories, mines, mines) - the routes of such trains are even shorter.
And each type of train requires special training from the driver.
The driver must drive the train exactly on schedule, observing traffic rules, semaphore signals, etc. The route of the train is practically unchanged. However, the situation on the road is constantly changing. It may depend on the weather, on the workload of the train, on other road users. For example, a truck stuck on the tracks requires an immediate response.
Moving at great speed is often associated with unexpected events. traffic situation, road signs, instrument readings in the cockpit - all this requires constant intense attention. Therefore, a long-distance driver always works with an assistant (an assistant driver, who can also become a driver over time). On steam locomotives, the brigade includes a stoker - he ensures the operation of the locomotive by throwing fuel. However, steam locomotives are a rarity these days. In some cases (for example, in the subway), the driver works alone.
Long-distance train routes are divided into sections. And the driver is usually an expert on one of the sections of the track. At one of the stations, one brigade of the locomotive is replaced by another and the train moves on. The old crew rests at the inn and takes their place again when it's time to drive the train back.
Drivers of local lines or the subway also need a good rest. For example, in the subway, drivers have special rest rooms where they can sleep after the shift and before the start of a new day, if, according to the duty schedule, the driver has to take the train to the line in the morning.
Workplace
Railways, subways, large factories, mines, etc. enterprises using railways for internal movement of goods.
Salary
Salary as of 02.03.2020
Russia 40000—100000 ₽
Moscow 110000—65000 ₽
Important qualities
Self-confidence, high sense of responsibility, quick reaction, ability to concentrate, good vision (including color vision), acute hearing. Diseases of the heart, blood vessels, central nervous system, bronchial asthma, disorders of the vestibular apparatus, problems of the musculoskeletal system that restrict movement are contraindicated in such work.
Knowledge and skills
It is necessary to be able to drive a locomotive, carry out small plumbing work, and use radio communications. Know the structure of the locomotive, the rules of traffic on the railway.
Where to study as a train driver (education)
Initial Vocational Education (VET)
In one of the railway colleges you can get professions:
- "Assistant locomotive driver";
- "Assistant locomotive driver";
- "Assistant locomotive driver"
Secondary vocational education (SVE)
In colleges and technical schools, you can get a specialty " Technical operation rolling stock of railways. Qualification "Technician".
On-the-job training
To work in the metro, you can get a job at a depot (on the metro line) and there you can train as a driver. First, locksmith practice is carried out, then the future driver studies the equipment of the electric train and learns to operate the train. In the Moscow metro, simulators are used to speed up the process.
The profession of a machinist is associated with the management of passenger and freight transport on various types railways. Such an employee operates a locomotive to which a steam locomotive, diesel locomotive or electric locomotive is attached. Against the background of the expansion of the ground and underground transport network, the demand for electric train drivers began to grow rapidly. There are several ways to get a position of interest. Each approach has its pros and cons. Before starting a career, applicants should evaluate own possibilities. Train drivers are hardy, healthy, strong people with well-developed technical thinking. Work in the direction will not be for everyone.
In Russia, the profession of "train driver" originated almost 200 years ago. Even then, special requirements were imposed on its representatives. To control the locomotive, one had to have highly specialized knowledge, high speed reaction, responsibility, resistance to stress.
Technological progress has led to the emergence of compositions different type, work on each of them implies the presence of certain skills.
Also, the locomotive driver must get used to the specifics of the workflow:
- Compliance with the schedule is one of the basic requirements for an employee. In some areas, a deviation from the schedule for a few seconds can lead to serious problems;
- quick response to non-standard situations. Trains run on rails, drivers regularly go along the same routes, but they cannot relax. Need to follow up road rules, technical indicators, semaphore signals, obstacles on the way. Everything is complicated by the fact that the trains go at great speeds, sometimes the time for making a decision is calculated in seconds;
- a clear understanding of the characteristics of your site. To improve work efficiency, drivers are usually assigned a certain route or section of the road. The slightest hitch of the train driver threatens to disrupt the schedule, creating an emergency;
- the ability to quickly recover, to properly distribute their forces. Being in a closed cabin for several hours is associated with significant physical and psycho-emotional stress. The allotted breaks should be used to the maximum so that the quality of work does not decrease;
- concern for health. Before leaving for the shift, the employee undergoes a basic medical examination. They measure his pulse, blood pressure, temperature, check for the absence of alcohol in the blood. In addition, every few months, the employee undergoes a full examination to confirm professional suitability.
An electric locomotive driver is the main person who is responsible for the transported passengers or cargo. Depending on the direction, they daily and repeatedly drive their train along a short route or cover hundreds of kilometers at a time. At the same time, the operation of each type of composition needs control, which requires special technical training.
Pros and cons of the direction
Demand and availability are the main positive aspects of this career option. Every year the number of specialized vacancies increases. Even young professionals with no work experience can count on a good job. A variety of training options is also considered a significant plus.
Many in the direction are attracted by how much machinists earn. Employees can expect a high base salary, impressive seniority bonuses and trouble-free service. Train drivers have the opportunity to retire earlier due to the difficult conditions. Depending on the conditions provided by the employer, the social package may include extended medical insurance, paid trips to a sanatorium.
A significant disadvantage of the profession is a significant burden on health. The worker expects many hours of work. At the same time, the employee is almost always in one position and does not even have the opportunity to warm up. This negatively affects the general condition of a person. Modern lineups are maxed out in terms of specifications, but the risk of developing "vibration disease" still remains.
Many strains the need to constantly be in a confined space. The lack of communication among machinists working alone sometimes has a negative effect on the psyche. This career is not suitable for a person who does not get along well with technology - an employee must be able to cope with minor problems, evaluate the quality of the devices.
Workplace
The holder of a specialized education can get a position as an electric train driver in the subway, on short-distance and long-distance railways. Such employees are in demand at large industrial enterprises, mines, large construction sites, and geological exploration sites. The trams are also operated by specialty drivers.
Important qualities
Passing profile training as an electric train driver is not always enough for successful work towards. A number of requirements are put forward for applicants in physical and psycho-emotional terms. The absence of certain character traits can complicate the work process, increase the level of its danger.
To work as a locomotive driver by profession, you must have the following qualities:
- the ability to concentrate on important points and hold it for a long time;
- high speed of response to changing conditions, emergencies, deviations from the usual norm;
- self-confidence, lack of fear before making decisions;
- developed sense of responsibility;
- technical mindset, love for technology, the desire for self-development in terms of studying devices.
Special requirements are put forward to the health indicators of the future driver. The employee must be free of vision and hearing problems. Color blindness is a direct ban on such work. Applicants with bronchial asthma, heart and vascular diseases, problems with the vestibular apparatus or the musculoskeletal system may not pass the medical commission. Persons with mental disabilities are not allowed to responsible service.
Knowledge and skills
Contrary to popular belief, working in a train locomotive is a complex process that requires constant voltage. Even owners of technical professions need to learn to be a machinist, get the first practical experience under the supervision of a professional.
Electric train drivers must have the following knowledge:
- locomotive control in a standard situation;
- response to emergency situations according to instructions or specifics of the situation;
- carrying out basic engineering and plumbing work, troubleshooting simple problems;
- possession of the rules of conduct on the railway, compliance with traffic rules;
- understanding of the principles of radio communication, the ability to use it;
- the ability to communicate with passengers in non-standard situations, the ability to control the actions of the crowd.
Studying at a specialized institution allows you to get only a basic understanding of the specifics of the direction. The bulk of skills and abilities are accumulated in the process practical work. Seminars are regularly held for machinists, which give them new knowledge and consolidate the old ones. Additional independent studies in the profile provide an opportunity for further career growth.
Where to study as an electric train driver
For those who wish to study as a driver, they can begin at the age of 8. Children who are interested in this direction should visit the children's railway. Such branches are open in many Russian cities. Kids get the opportunity to manage a real composition, acquire basic technical and engineering knowledge, and evaluate their innate talents. The profession of a machinist is taught by various institutions, which you can enter after the 9th grade. Applicants should prepare for the fact that in any case, the emphasis will be on exact disciplines.
How much to study as a driver
It can take from six months to five years to become a train driver. The indicator depends on the goals and form of education, the level of basic education, and the chosen path of development. In any case, for some time after receiving a diploma, you will have to work as an assistant driver from several months to 2 years. This is followed by special testing, which allows you to determine whether the employee is ready to independently manage the composition.
Initial vocational education
After the 9th grade, you can enter a railway college and get the profession of an assistant driver of a locomotive, diesel locomotive, electric locomotive. It will help you start a career in your chosen field, but you will have to study further in order to move up the career ladder. The salary of an assistant driver of an electric train is not so high, while the workload is significant. But such a place allows you to learn all the subtleties of the direction in practice, to choose your specialization. Another plus of this approach is that further you can already learn to be a train driver according to a simplified scheme.
Secondary vocational education
After the 9th or 11th grade, you can enter a technical school or college, choosing the direction "Technical operation of rolling stock". This approach will take more time, at the exit the student receives the qualification "Technician". Already in the last courses or as additional education students are taught to become train drivers, engineers, locksmiths, wagon builders, and in other areas. Further, if desired, you can get a higher technical education for vertical career development.
On-the-job training
Many representatives of today's youth and adults without specialized education are interested in how to quickly become a train driver with a further guarantee of employment. In this case, it is best to contact the depot directly in the direction of interest. The railroads and subways themselves often recruit apprentices who are offered highly specialized training in operating a particular type of train. The study includes theoretical and practical classes in plumbing, locomotive equipment, traffic rules and other disciplines. To facilitate the process of assimilation of the material, simulators are often used.
How much does a machinist earn
According to statistics, the level of salaries of machinists is above average. Assistants receive an average of 20 to 30 thousand rubles. After the transition to independent work, the salary of employees is from 40 to 60 thousand rubles. The salary of a train driver who has completed a certain number of trips without emergency situations, may be within 100 thousand rubles. Many employers provide additional bonuses for the quarter, year, length of service.
Quite often, the salary of subway drivers is paid already in the process of training. Such a "scholarship" on average ranges from 17 to 25 thousand rubles. At private industrial or mining enterprises, the income level can reach 150 thousand rubles per month. Also, the type of employment, place of work, presence of additional duties can affect the salary of an electric locomotive driver. The list of the latter often includes the training of new employees.
Contrary to popular belief, an electric train driver is no longer a purely male profession. Today, more and more universities, technical schools and colleges accept girls who are well versed in technical disciplines. Every year the work of locomotives and trains is improved, the range of electronics application is expanding. Now the workers are valued not so much physical strength as endurance, reaction speed, knowledge of the basics of engineering.
If your working day begins with the phrase: “Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen! On behalf of Russian Railways, I and our crew are pleased to welcome you on board the Sapsan train, which means you are the driver of the fastest train in Russia. And your job is to “fly” every day without leaving the ground: after all, in some sections between St. Petersburg and Moscow, the train develops a speed comparable to the take-off speed of a modern airliner. And certainly nowhere in the Sapsan you can find a better view from the window than in the driver's cab. Tickets are not sold there, but you can try to make the driver's cab your workplace.
1) Experience - at least 5 years, class - at least 2nd
You may not be a poet, but you must be a machinist. And not lower than the 2nd class - in order to get to the "Sapsan". For those who are far from the railways, let us explain: in order to get the 2nd class, you need to work as an electric train driver for 3 years. The countdown starts from the 4th class, which allows you to drive locomotives and electric trains. In the case of Sapsan, in addition to high class, you also need to have experience behind you - at least 5 years.
2) Health - like astronauts
The path to the driver's seat lies through the medical board. Requirements for the physical condition of candidates are severe. Future machinists will be tested for vision (it must be one hundred percent), hearing, the work of the cardiovascular system and other vital organs. There is still a psychological test to determine how attentive the candidate is, whether he is ready to bear responsibility for the lives of hundreds of people. And most importantly, no bad habits: Even the machinists don't smoke in Sapsan!
3) Speak English!
Sapsan drivers are the only ones on domestic Russian trains who talk to passengers on English language. Therefore, for an interview, future candidates should check his basic knowledge. Of course, no one requires free possession, but popular expressions and famous words from Hollywood films it will not be possible to be limited.
4) "Driver's license" for "Sapsan"
One specialized education (in Moscow, for example, train drivers are taught at Railway College No. 52 or Moscow College railway transport) few. It is also necessary to obtain a special certificate that gives the right to drive the Sapsan. The first drivers of trains new to Russia were trained in Germany by Siemens. And almost a year ago, such courses appeared in Russia: on February 1, 2010, the Locomotive Crew Training Center was opened in St. Petersburg, where future drivers train. First, they work out theory and practice on the Sapsan simulator at the Center, then consolidate their knowledge on a real train at the Metallostroy depot, where the fastest train in Russia is registered.
Drivers are first born and then made. This truth is also true for the Sapsan drivers. Work on high-speed trains only the most the best shots: machinists of the St. Petersburg junction, the Moscow junction and Gorkovskaya Zh.D. However, even an ordinary driver can sit “behind the wheel” of the fastest train in Russia, if he meets all the requirements. The main thing, as noted in the North-Western Directorate of High-Speed Communication, is that the candidate for the Sapsan driver not only knows all the instructions, but also knows how to correctly and quickly apply them: at speeds over 200 km / h there is not much time to think.
Let's add on our own: drivers are really the elite of railway transport, whose experience is also in demand in the management of Russian Railways. For example, Dmitry Pegov, director of the Directorate of High-Speed Communications of Russian Railways, went from being an assistant driver to heading the high-speed line and becoming the head of Sapsan.
By the way, you can ask your questions in the comments. We will forward them to the Sapsan drivers and you will receive first-hand answers
To drive a train, you need to study, but how much to study as an electric train driver and where is it taught? Let's find out.
Moreover, this profession is undoubtedly of interest to many children and young men. Young because in this profession there is a restriction not only by gender (women are not taken as drivers), but also by age.
It is quite difficult to manage the composition and not everyone will be able to withstand heavy loads. Therefore, out of 10 who want to study as an electric train driver, only two pass the selection. Some are not suitable for health reasons, others do not go through psychological stress, and still others do not cope with tasks.
Where to learn to be an electric train driver?
Drivers enjoy benefits and privileges. They get high wages, paid vacation 1.5 months a year, receive vouchers to a sanatorium for a vacation with the family.
It sounds promising and profitable, so it's time to find out where they teach to become an electric train driver? It is also desirable to understand how much to study this profession.
To begin with, we will understand that in order to become a machinist, for starters, you need to qualify as an “assistant driver”, and having already gained experience and relevant knowledge, having worked as an assistant for at least two years, and having successfully passed the exam, you can become an independent machinist.
To learn to be an electric train driver is offered today by a variety of educational establishments such as railway colleges, training centers, schools, higher educational institutions, technical schools and enterprises themselves that have licenses for training, with the right to issue certificates in their specialty.
Depending on which path is chosen, in the end, it will depend on how much to study as a train driver, what kind of education a graduate will receive. Upon graduation, as mentioned above, graduates can work as assistants.
Naturally, after graduation, you can quickly build a career in railway practice. It's no secret that the heads of the depot, railway or the Minister of Railways started from the "bottom" - the assistant driver and, having higher education climbed up the corporate ladder.
You can get education in absentia on the job, so that without wasting time, get a practical skill and become a certified specialist.
Where do they train to become an electric train driver?
If we consider the top 10 establishments of the country's means of communication, then they include the following cities: Moscow, Samara, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, Rostov-on-Don, Ulyanovsk, Sochi, Omsk, Khabarovsk. How much to study as a train driver in them will depend on the education received - secondary vocational or higher.
You can apply to study in Moscow at the Moscow State University of Communications, named after Emperor Nicholas II. This is a well-known and recognized university in the capital, where there are various areas of study and you can get an education in a variety of specializations: locomotives, main transport, rolling stock of railways.
With colleges and technical schools, there is more choice. You can enter the college of railway transport all at the same Moscow state university ways of communicating with them. Emperor Nicholas II, the College of Railway and Urban Transport, the Naro-Fominsk Technical School near Moscow or the Bondarenko Orekhovo-Zuevsky Railway College. You can study at the Professional College Muscovy.
Ultimately, choosing where to study as an electric train driver should be based on geographical considerations. And it will always be possible to change the place of residence in the future, especially since the work allows you to move around the country.
In higher educational institutions, the same disciplines are taught as in secondary ones, only a more detailed study. The most demanded specialties are automation and electrics.
How much to study to be a train driver?
Education at the university in the specialties of automation and electrics is 4-5 years, plus about 8 months of practice. Graduates may well take leadership positions when leaving for work.
In technical schools and colleges, it will take from 3 to 4 years to study as a train driver. The term will depend on the previously received education (grades 9 or 11). Almost everywhere training is possible on a budget and a contract.
Where else do they train to be an electric train driver?
In addition to universities and colleges, there is another option where you can learn this profession faster and at the same time for free. The Russian Railways and Metropolitan companies are recruiting train drivers for courses.
This option is very promising, because they train here at the expense of the future employer, they pay a scholarship and are guaranteed employment. In some cases, they are sent to receive a diploma on recommendation to educational institutions without competition, and you can study and continue to work.
How much to study for an electric train driver from the training centers of Russian Railways and the Metropolitan? The terms can be minimal - from 1 month, but you need to understand that this option is available only to those who already have an education and the courses are not suitable for everyone.
The best option is college education - that's where to study as a train driver. At the same time, the training period will be about 3 years - that's how much to study for it. But the final choice remains with the future machinist - yours.
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