Occupation in the Railways

This concept thoroughly explains different types of railway department jobs. Here, the students will get to know about the people who work in the railways. They will be introduced to various professions in the railways and their responsibilities.

After reading the concept, students will be able to:

Know about the job roles of
- Railway driver
- Train manager
- Station Master
- Coolie/ Porter
- Railway police
Identify the railway professionals as per their uniforms.

Each concept is explained to class 4 students using descriptions, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through a concept, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets given at the end of the page.

Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept About Railways provided in PDF format.

In India, we have an extensive network of railways that is managed by the government of India.
Different workers are needed to supervise separate sectors involved in the system for the smooth functioning of the railways.
Let us take a look at the various occupations that are related to the railways of India.

1. Railway Driver:

Drivers drive the train and transport passengers and goods safely from one place to another via specific routes.
While driving the train, they must obey all the railway traffic rules, transit regulations, and safety procedures.
While being on duty, they do follow a specific timetable.
Drivers operate both on national and local rail networks.
They also look after the conditions of rail engines before transporting passengers to ensure their safety.

2. Train Manager:

Railway guards are appointed in passenger and goods trains as the in-charge of the running train.
Usually, a guard checks the status of all the machinery that ensures trains' safe running.
They need to work in coordination with the drivers.
In the case of a goods train, the guard ensures the proper closing of the doors of the wagons.
When a passenger or a goods train arrives at the destination after the expected time, the corresponding railway guard has to write a report explaining the cause of late arrival.
Guards have to constantly monitor if there is anything unusual happening in a running train.
The driver always stops or starts the train after receiving proper signals from the guard.

3. Ticket Seller:

Before getting on the train, the passengers need to buy tickets from the ticket sellers at the ticket counters.
Authorised tickets bought from the ticket sellers give information like train compartment number, berth number, arrival time, and departure time to the passengers.
Other than tickets, the passengers also can buy rail passes from the ticket sellers.
However, with new technologies, passengers now can book their tickets online and save time instead of standing at the ticket counter.

4. Ticket Checker:

Before boarding a train, passengers must show their tickets to the ticket checker.
The ticket checker also examines the tickets while on-board the train.
The ticket checker wears a black coat, black trousers, a white shirt, and a red tie. They carry a badge in their chest pocket.
Apart from the tickets, they also check the seat allotments.
They authorise seats to the passengers on the waiting list if any confirmed ticket gets cancelled.
They also check whether the lights and fans in the coach are working properly.
They prevent outsiders from entering the train compartments at night.
They charge fines if someone is travelling without a valid ticket.

5. Pantry Boy:

Pantry boys are appointed in express trains.
They conduct all kinds of services that are related to food and refreshments.
All express trains have a canteen where food is prepared for the passengers and the workers of that train.
Right after boarding, the passengers are served refreshments, snacks, and bottled water by the pantry boys.
They also serve lunch and dinner to the passengers.

6. Station Master:

The station master has the responsibility of running trains at a station.
They operate the signals and ensure that everything happens as per the rules.
The station master has to keep all the passenger facilities proper at the station and make sure that the passenger does not face any difficulty.

7. Cleaning Staff:

The cleaning staff cleans all the coaches before the train departs.
Their responsibility is to clean the floor and toilet whenever it is needed.
They also clean the glass windows of air-conditioned coaches.
After dinner, they spray air freshener and fly repellents in the compartments.
The cleaning staff wears blue uniforms when they are on duty.
It is their duty to fill water tanks in the coaches whenever needed.

8. Coolie:

The coolies or porters in the Indian railway are not directly hired by the railway authorities.
They help the passengers carry their heavy luggage.
Porters usually wear red shirts and white pyjamas.
They get paid by the customers for their service.

9. Railway Police:

Railway police maintain law and order in the railway stations and the trains and provide security to the passengers.
They also investigate if any criminal offence occurs on the train.
They inspect every coach before a train departs.
Sniffer dogs are used to identify suspicious objects in the coach.

New Words:

Wagon: The separate sections of a goods train are called wagons.

Fly Repellents: Chemicals that are sprayed to kill flies.

Waiting List: This is the list of passengers with serial numbers according to their seat booking sequence.

Sniffer Dogs: Dogs that are trained to find drugs or explosives by smelling, such as a bloodhound.

Did You Know?

The railway network of India is Asia’s largest railway network. The railroads in India were created by the British before independence to carry goods from one place to another.

The person who looks after the signalling equipment of railways to ensure the safe and smooth running of trains is called the signal maintainer.