Career opportunities

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Rail Traffic Controller

Rail traffic controllers are responsible for coordinating train movement on the railways. They operate and monitor a centralized system to ensure that all trains are moving safely and also check that they are running to schedule.

It is the responsibility of rail traffic controllers to ensure the cost efficient movement of trains on a network; they must make sure that trains are running to time and have to take quick actions if problems arise to ensure minimum delays. They play a role in the planning and scheduling of trains and record data on train performance.

Rail traffic controllers are also responsible for communicating with different teams within the railway industry, including performance managers, signallers, station staff, drivers and train crew. They also work in a close team with other controllers.

The starting salary for a traffic controller who has completed all required training is approximately £25000. This can vary based on responsibilities and may rise with experience.
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Working environment

Rail traffic controllers spend the majority of their time at their workstations which have computers, screens, telephones and radios. They spend a lot of their time watching the screens and also communicating by telephone or radio.

Working hours for rail traffic controllers are organised to match the operating hours of the railway. This means shift working, which can include early mornings, late nights, weekends and bank holidays.
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Skills and interests

Rail traffic controllers must have:-
-    high levels of concentration
-    the ability to remain calm under pressure
-    good decision making skills
-    excellent communication skills
-    basic technical ability and numerical skills
-    the willingness to take responsibility
-    good attention to detailGo Back

Entry into the role

In general, rail traffic controllers work their way up to the job. They may have worked in stations or on trains, or in rail operations such as planning and signalling.  

Rail traffic controllers need to have a good basic education, which should include literacy and numeracy skills. A good understanding of IT is also beneficial. Rail traffic controllers must have good understanding of how the rail industry works.

Most rail traffic controller posts are recruited internally. Train operating companies employ the majority of controllers, although network rail also have train movement monitoring roles. Recruitment for jobs with rail operating companies, and with network rail are most commonly done through their own websites, although some vacancies are also advertised in specialist industry publications and websites.
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Opportunities

Rail traffic controllers can develop their careers to become performance managers or operations control managers. Movement upwards can be achieved through development of skills and with experience in the role.Go Back

Useful links

• Association of Train Operating Companies
• Network Rail
• Rail Staff (magazine)
• Rail Technology (magazine)
• The Rail Engineer (magazine)

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Case Studies

• 
  RAIL - traffic controller
  Translink traffic controller Stuart Leathem talks about his work
• 
  RAIL - training
  Find out about training at Translink to be a driver or a signaller

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