What Does a Train Dispatcher Do?
A train dispatcher is a railroading professional who is responsible for coordinating the smooth use of railroad tracks within the area which the dispatcher supervises. Acting much like an air traffic controller, a train dispatcher is responsible for deciding when trains get to use which tracks, and for allocating tracks so that they are used as efficiently as possible. Most train dispatchers are employed by railroads, and they must go through extensive training before they are allowed to work as dispatchers. In the early days of railroading, coordinating usage of the tracks was not critical, although most trains tried to keep to a timetable for the benefit of their customers. Over time, however, as utilization of train tracks increased, it became necessary to have dispatchers to control use of the tracks with the goal of preventing accidents, ensuring that trains do not end up on tracks which are not rated to carry them, and helping trains keep to their published time tables.
