Pre-Amtrak (and indeed, for quite a while into the Amtrak era), the conductor was also the face of the railroad company to the traveller.

Brakeman: A leftover from the pre-airbrake and early airbrake days. Responsible for the mechanical operation of the braking system; sets handbrakes as needed; helps cut-in or cut-out cars as required during switching movements. These days, on a passenger train, he assists the conductor with management of fares and tickets.

Flagman: Protects the train to its rear from accidental over-runs of signals. Places out flares and torpedoes to warn trains behind that his/her train has made an unscheduled stop.

Engineer and Fireman: Locomotive crew.

Porter (aka sleeper attendant): Responsible for car service in his sleeping car. Makes down and puts away berths. Keeps car clean. Manages linen. Serves as a waiter for room service...

Hope that helped.

John

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Originally posted by stuff:
Can any of you highly informed kids tell me where to find the ...how do I put this...the rundown of employees i.e., conductor, yes, is like the captain perhaps overseeing the car attendants in coach and the attendants for the sleeper car? Does each coach car have it's own attendant?? Many thanks for your time ...

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The conductor is in charge of the safe operation of the train. He usually lets car attendants handle their own problems unless they ask him for help, but he is the ultimate on board authority. There is one attendant per sleeper but as many as 4 coaches assigned to a coach attendant. Depending upon how many coaches are in the train...can be two, three or four per attendant.

There may or may not be an assistant conductor and/or assistant engineer, but the titles fireman, brakeman and flagman are from a long gone era and no longer apply.

rick

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The Conductor...is the ultimate on board authority.

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When Amtrak had Chiefs of On-board Services, I assume they fell somewhere in between the car attendants and conductors in the chain of command.

Though conductors have the final word, if a customer receives an unfavorable response from a conductor, one could appeal to the next conductor that comes aboard when the crew changes. I was aboard one train where most of the coaches were packed, and everyone was doubled up, even though one car was empty. One conductor didn't want anyone sleeping in the empty car, but the next conductor who came along after 10:00pm didn't mind at all.

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Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth.
-Mr. Toy

The Del Monte Club Car

The conductor is part of the operating crew, not the service crew. The operating crew; conductor, a possible assistant conductor, and one or two engineers work a single shift, then are replaced by a new crew.