Engineer or Driver?

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In railroad jargon, is the operator of the locomotive(s) in a consist more properly called an engineer or driver?

Or does it really matter?

I've seen both terms used here on AU.
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In the United States and Canada, the correct term is engineer. In the United Kingdom and European countries, as well as parts of the former British Commonwealth, the term is driver.
 
The traditional operation of a steam locomotive was split between the engineer at the controls and a fireman tending to the operation of the boiler. At least that’s the nomenclature that became the current engineer description.
 
Other forms of transport that employ engineer's, are the maritime one, and formerly, air transport. There are various classes of 'engineer' aboard a ship, from Chief down to assistant, none of which have any operational control of the movement of the ship. They just control the engine and other machinery.

Airliner's used to have flight engineer's, aka 'second officer', but modern airliner's automation have made their jobs obsolete. They were a skilled in flight mechanical technician.
 
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Other forms of transport that employ engineer's, are the maritime one, and formerly, air transport. There are various classes of 'engineer' aboard a ship, from Chief down to assistant, none of which have any operational control of the movement of the ship. They just control the engine and other machinery.

Airliner's used to have flight engineer's, aka 'second officer', but modern airliner's automation have made their jobs obsolete. They were a skilled in flight mechanical technician.
And, in many of the marine contexts, the "Chief Engineer" has the same service rank as the "Captain..." (O-6).....

And, in the context of "firefighting" the "engineer" is the person who drives the truck and operates the pumps. Remember "Mike Stoker" from the "Emergency!" show?

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He was, actually, a real LA County FIrefighter who just happened to have s SAG card. They hired him as they needed to have someone to drive all the engines/trucks in the show, which he did. After the show, he rose to the level of Captain until his retirement from the LA County FD.
 
As different countries speak different languages, so the job titles are different.

In the UK, a conductor is (or was) called the guard. Seen as rather secondary to the driver. Now that guards check tickets and collect fares on some trains, I think the conductor term is more in use here too.

Historicaly, the driver or fireman's job in case of an accident that obstructed the opposite running lines was to go forward and stop any traffic, and the guard was to do the same walking back to the rear instead.

In India, the loco drivers are called pilots...

Nothing wrong with updating job titles, I don't think many men who work in a laundry would like to be called a washerwoman...?

Ed.
 
In French, a locomotive engineer is a machinist. Dutch has a similar word. In German he or she is a Lokomotivführer or a Lokführer - locomotive leader.

In French a motorman is called a wattman (for metros, trolleys, light rails and similar) , but the term is not much used these days. In Germany you would say Wagenführer for a trolley or light rail car, and Zugführer for a metro or sometimes also for any type of train..

Many of thes terms are a bit old fashioned and stuffy.Precise usage is no longer in fashion and words get used incorrectly.
 
Dont ever call a locomotive engineer a motorman. That is for subways!
Unless you are in India, where the folks who operate EMUs are generally called Motormen.

Other than that, the people who operate engines are called Loco Pilots and Loco Pilot Assistants (LP and LPA for short) in India. In general there are two LP/LPA in the cab for all long distance trains in India. Also in general, only one Motorman in the cab on suburban EMUs.
 
Dont ever call a locomotive engineer a motorman. That is for subways!
Unless you are in India, where the folks who operate EMUs are generally called Motormen.

Other than that, the people who operate engines are called Loco Pilots and Loco Pilot Assistants (LP and LPA for short) in India. In general there are two LP/LPA in the cab for all long distance trains in India. Also in general, only one Motorman in the cab on suburban EMUs.
Whereas in Britain a pilot is a locomotive that is typically used only within a given station, especially for the purposes of preparing and switching passenger cars. In steam days it would typically have been an older locomotive retired from front line duties, and could in case of a dire locomotive shortage be sent out onto the main line agiain .
 
But if you believe the news, they're conductors.
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That always drives me insane. It probably shouldn't, but it really does.
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At least the conductor is the boss on the train, with the engineer under the diriection of the conductor.
Something I did not realize until I was an adult and had ridden aboard the Alaska Railroad. It had gotten stuck halfway headed from Denali Natl. Pk towards Talkeatna. We had to be bused the rest of the way to Anchorage. I was seated on the bus near the conductor of that train. I had always thought the Engineer was the boss, given that the Captain of an aircraft is the boss of that aircraft. I guess it makes sense for the "conductor" to be the boss, as the Engineer, technically, isn't "customer facing." An Aircraft captain can be customer facing, make decisions about emergencies, fend off hijackers/terrorists, etc. etc..
 
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