NOC 73311: Railway conductors and brakemen/women
What railway conductors and brakemen/women do
Railway conductors coordinate and supervise the activities of passenger and freight train crew members. Brakemen check train brakes and other systems and equipment prior to train run, and assist railway conductors in activities en route. They are employed by railway transport companies.
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Railway conductors
- Supervise and coordinate the activities of passenger and freight train crew members (except locomotive engineers) to ensure train operations are in accordance with schedule, train orders and code of operating rules
- Receive train orders and explain orders to brakemen/women, locomotive engineer and other crew members
- Communicate with train crew members by radio, signals or by other means to give and receive train operation information
- Collect fares on board passenger trains, announce approaching train stops and answer passenger enquiries
- Prepare train run reports.
- Brakemen/women
- Check train systems and equipment such as air conditioning and heating systems, brakes and brake hoses prior to train run
- Communicate with train crew members by radio, signals or by other means to aid in the movement and operation of train
- Receive orders from traffic controllers, observe signals and track conditions and open and close track switches
- Set and release hand brakes and connect air brake hoses to couple and switch passenger or freight cars, making minor repairs to couplings, air hoses and wheel-bearing boxes as required
- Assist in collecting fares and helping passengers on and off train.
Job titles under NOC 73311
20 job titles are classified here, including brakeman/woman, conductor - switching yard, freight train conductor.
- brake worker - switching yard
- brakeman/woman
- brakeman/woman - railway
- brakeman/woman - railway yard
- brakeman/woman - switching yard
- conductor - railway yard
- conductor - road freight
- conductor - switching yard
- freight train brakeman/woman
- freight train conductor
- front-end brakeman/woman
- head brakeman/woman
- passenger train brakeman/woman
- passenger train conductor
- pullman conductor
- railway conductor
- road freight brakeman/woman
- sleeping car conductor
- tail-end brakeman/woman
- train conductor
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Experience as a brakeman/woman is required for conductors.
- Experience as a railway worker is usually required for brakemen/women.
- Railway conductors require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.
- Brakemen/women require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.
Railway conductors and brakemen/women wages in Canada
Low, median and high hourly wages from Job Bank’s 2025 wage data. Annual figures assume full-time work (1,950 hours a year).
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada | $24.31/hr | $43.27/hr | $56.25/hr |
Toronto ON | $31.21/hr | $43.36/hr | $53.92/hr |
Vancouver Lower Mainland region, BC | $31.11/hr | $41.21/hr | $49.68/hr |
Edmonton AB | $15.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $56.25/hr |
Ottawa ON | $26.55/hr | $40.58/hr | $48.09/hr |
Winnipeg MB | $22.00/hr | $42.00/hr | $62.50/hr |
Québec City Quebec region, QC | $37.00/hr | $47.00/hr | $57.00/hr |
Hamilton Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula region, ON | $31.60/hr | $41.77/hr | $51.48/hr |
Kitchener-Waterloo Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie region, ON | $30.86/hr | $40.98/hr | $49.76/hr |
London ON | $29.85/hr | $40.97/hr | $50.27/hr |
Saskatoon Saskatoon–Biggar region, SK | $29.50/hr | $48.08/hr | $87.08/hr |
Regina Regina–Moose Mountain region, SK | $26.87/hr | $41.34/hr | $50.36/hr |
| Where | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
New Brunswick | $25.00/hr | $37.10/hr | $44.00/hr |
Quebec | $37.00/hr | $47.00/hr | $57.00/hr |
Ontario | $26.67/hr | $44.00/hr | $50.00/hr |
Manitoba | $26.00/hr | $41.67/hr | $62.50/hr |
Saskatchewan | $25.53/hr | $45.83/hr | $69.23/hr |
Alberta | $17.95/hr | $42.00/hr | $56.25/hr |
British Columbia | $29.63/hr | $41.32/hr | $52.84/hr |
Using NOC 73311 for your resume or Express Entry profile
- IRCC asks you to make sure the main duties listed for your NOC match what you actually did at your job. If they don’t, look for another unit group whose duties do.
- Describe your own work in your own words. Recruiters and ATS software look for concrete tools, results and scope, not text copied from the NOC.
- Applying from outside Canada? Run your resume through the Canadian resume format checker to catch things Canadian employers don’t expect, like a photo or date of birth.
- Use the job title the employer’s posting uses. The 20 titles above are how the same work is named across employers.
Not in this group
Similar jobs classified under a different NOC code:
- Railway and yard locomotive engineers (NOC 73310)
- Supervisors, railway transport operations (NOC 72023)
Frequently asked questions
What is the NOC code for railway conductors and brakemen/women?
Railway conductors and brakemen/women are NOC 2021 unit group 73311. Example job titles in this group include brakeman/woman, conductor - switching yard, freight train conductor, front-end brakeman/woman.
What TEER is NOC 73311?
NOC 73311 is TEER 3 (College or apprenticeship (under 2 years)). Usually requires a college program or apprenticeship of less than 2 years, or more than six months of on-the-job training. TEER 0, 1, 2 and 3 work counts as skilled work experience for Express Entry’s Federal Skilled Worker and Canadian Experience Class programs.
How much do railway conductors and brakemen/women earn in Canada?
Job Bank's 2025 wage data puts the median at $43.27/hr, about $84,000 a year full-time, with a range of $24.31/hr to $56.25/hr.
Related occupations
Sources: Statistics Canada, National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0; Employment and Social Development Canada, Job Bank wages (2025). Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. OfferJetAI is not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Check IRCC’s NOC guidance before you apply.