To be a train engineer, you must first have a License.
- If you want to expand your field of action.
- Then, you must take a course that enables you to obtain the Diploma that guarantees License.
- And then you can choose to work for private companies in freight transport, or for public companies such as Renfe.
- And is that for many people, working as a train engineer is a dream come true.
- How many children have imagined driving a train, with all the charm that the profession has …
- That is why there are so many lovers of electric trains!
- Today we reveal how to become a Train Engineer?
how much you will earn if you work in the sector and what your usual routine will be like.
What Does a Train Engineer Do?
A train engineer (or train driver) performs different tasks.
Its main task is to operate the train, tram, locomotive or underground railway that it is in charge of.
The function of the vehicle can be to transport goods or passengers (or both) from one place to another.
Also, Meeting deadlines in time and respecting all security measures.
So, if you work as a train engineer, driving tasks will take up much of your time, but not all.
You will also have to know the vehicle well. As well as, the roads on which it circulates.
The systems used for signaling.
The safety regulations and all the emergency procedures necessary to guarantee a safe trip.
- The train engineer job is a lonely job.
- When you drive the vehicle, you will be alone in the cabin and you will have no direct supervisor.
- Therefore, your responsibility multiplies exponentially.
- Communication with the plant is carried out through a radio system.
- You will be able to receive orders and instructions and report incidents.
- It is essential to control this system well.
- As we all know, Communication failure can end.
You will also have the obligation to check if the train is in perfect condition to run, before each journey.
Train Engineer Requirements
What is the ideal profile of a train engineer?
Regardless of whether you like the profession or not, working as such is available to anyone with the necessary qualifications.
To take the courses that will train you to drive trains and railways.
You must first be at least 20 years old.
Then, you will have to enroll in a course to obtain any of the official licenses.
As we told you at the beginning of this article, there are two types of licenses:
- Category A – With this license, you will be able to operate maneuvering locomotives and work trains.
- At a maximum speed of 60 km / h and a maximum of 140 km of journey.
- Category B – It is obtained by taking the “Diploma course“.
- This category enables you to drive trains with passengers and/or goods. In addition to what is indicated in category A.
The most recommended, in our opinion. It is to take a License + Diploma course.
This enables you to work as a train operator in any type of vehicle.
This course will make you a holder of the Category B Rail Vehicle Driving Degree.
Which is practically any aspiring train operator aspires to?
What is training to be a train engineer? It is theoretical and practical, with a duration of 1150 hours + 250 hours of practice.
You can study this course in private centers.
But, you can also take advantage of one of the calls made to study in its own courses.
At the end of this article, you will find information about the different possibilities.
Of course, it must be taken into account that the course costs between € 21,000 and € 25,000. Both if you study or if you do it in a private center.
Train Engineer Salary
In addition, you will need a certificate of psychophysical aptitude obtained after a medical examination.
- It will cost you around 300 euros. The license is renewed every 4 years.
- If you are not working, the renewal will also have to be paid by you.
- Working as a train engineer, as you see, is a super attractive option.
- Not only can you get a permanent job (even for life, if you join the staff).
- But also the salaries are very interesting.
- Of course, depending on the type of position your salary will be more or less high.
- The highest salary would correspond to the Chief Train Engineer, with a total of € 44,942.88 per year.
- While the lowest would be for the Entrance Engineer: € 22,604.52 per year.
Among them, there are three more categories, with salary levels that increase according to the ranks.
To promote from one position to the next, it is necessary to stay 2 years in it.
That is, to go from Entry Machinist to Chief Machinist.
It is necessary to spend 10 years climbing positions.
However, working at Renfe is not the only option for a train operator.
You can also work for private companies, driving freight railways.
In addition, according to a source.
In 2020 the opening of the train passenger transport market to the private sector is planned.
From then on, AVE and Long Distance trains will compete with those of other companies.
It will be a great time to get a job as a train engineer. If you start training now, you will have a long way to go when the opportunity comes.
Train Machinist Courses
That said, we can only comment on what courses to train you like a train machinist.
You have at your disposal today.
The first and most important are, of course, those offered in its calls.
These are courses that take place in the Professional Technical School of Driving and Operations.
They allow obtaining the driver’s license and the diploma for category B certificates.
- To sign up for these courses, you must wait for a call to be opened.
- If there are more applicants to the course than places.
- You will have to pass a test to access the training.
- On the other hand, there are prestigious schools and private centers.
- Where you can carry out this same training at a similar price.
- One of them is Cetren Formacion. Where they offer you the opportunity.
- To take courses to obtain the License, the Diploma or both at the same time.
- And also, we cannot fail to mention the Recycling Courses for Driving Degrees A and B.
- Such as the one offered by the European Railway Training Center (ERTC).
- These courses are focused on train drivers who have to renew their licenses and are not active.
The one offered by ERTC has a theoretical part and a practical part, and its price is € 450.
Oppositions in 2019
With the entry into force of the 2018 General State Budgets. ADIF published one of the largest public job offers in its history.
The offer has been expanded with another 143 additional places.
In this way, the total number of places offered reaches 486.
One of the peculiarities of the PGEs.
They expected 100% of the replacement rate to be exceeded.
Something that has effectively been done to cover the personnel deficit.
OPEC for ADIF is divided as follows:
- 116 operational staff positions (17 railway assistants, 4 telecommunications officer positions, 24 electrical assemblers, watchmen officers and substation officers, 46 circulation factors and 25 factors).
- 27 technical positions (5 management positions, 15 industrial engineers, 4 telecommunications engineers and 3 technical architects).
ADIF also plans to independently summon another 40 places to reach the maximum of 183 places allowed by the PGE.
The registration period to participate in these selection processes is now open.
Exams are expected to begin in late 2018.
More likely, during the first months of 2019.
Alsa Trains Railwaymen
If you want to be a train engineer. Another option to carry out this work is to do it through a private entity.
Since last September Alsa has been training its own machinists.
In the first edition of this course, a total of 20 students have participated.
But the places could be expanded in successive calls.
In order to participate in this training process.
It is necessary to be over 20 years old, have a Bachelor’s degree or a Professional Training Technician title.
In addition, applicants must pass a psycho-physical examination and demonstrate certain general knowledge on assessment tests.
The training has a total duration of 11 months and the price is around € 22,500.
Alsa has been licensed as a railway operator since 2013.
Its initiative to train drivers is based on the prospect that by 2020.
The monopoly of train passenger transport will disappear in Spain and in the European Union.
Which would allow other operators to compete directly with Renfe?