Yardmaster

The yardmaster is the railroad employee in charge of the rail yard. They manage and coordinate all activities in combining rolling stocks into trains, and breaking down trains into individual railroad cars, and switching trains from track-to-track in the rail yard.^[1] In the United States of America, yardmasters are eligible to join the Railroad Yardmasters of America.

A yardmaster in Amarillo, Texas in 1943

Notable former yardmasters in the U.S.

• John Walker Barriger III (1899–1976) assistant yardmaster at the Pennsylvania Railroad
• George B. Swan
• Al Alquist at the Southern Pacific Railroad
• Walter Ellsworth Bachman, Sr. (1879–1958) at the Lehigh Valley Railroad

External links

• Yardmaster information from United Transportation Union

References

1. Richard A. McDavid and Susan Echaore-McDavid (2009). Career Opportunities in Transportation. Duties: Manage and coordinate the activities involved in making and breaking up trains and switching trains from track to track in railroad yards ...