Insider. The Train Conductor is about the romance of the road, total corruption and loneliness of Russian Railways employees. What do conductors live on? What does it take to work as a conductor?

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The profession of a guide evokes ambivalent feelings. On the one hand, it is covered with a flair of romance: you can travel a lot and communicate with different people. On the other hand - a difficult schedule, insomnia, fulfilling the sales plan and fines for the slightest deviation from the rules.

We are in website We studied many interviews and several blogs of guides who write about their everyday lives, and decided to collect as many details as possible from their lives.

What's it like to work as a conductor?

• It is a mistake to think that being a conductor is more of a female profession. In fact, the staff is roughly equally divided between men and women.
• The number of days off depends on the route, but, as a rule, the guide rests for as many days as he has been on the road.
• It is not advisable to take vacations in the summer, as there is usually a staff shortage, so Employees take rest most often during the off-season.
• There is a saying among workers: “Not the guide who worked for a year, but the one who survived the winter”. The fact is that in winter you often have to work physically, which can be very difficult. It is necessary to clear the cars of snow, remove ice from under-car equipment with a crowbar, maintain a comfortable temperature so that passengers do not freeze, and the plan to save electricity is fulfilled. Moreover, if the equipment breaks down or the carriage is old, it will have to be heated manually with coal. Yes, all carriages are still equipped with coal boilers.
• Usually, Railway employees do not have a choice whether or not to celebrate the New Year at work. There is a clear schedule and schedule. True, many people say that there is nothing wrong with celebrating a holiday at work. However, on New Year's Eve you will have to do without the usual sparklers. They are strictly prohibited on the train according to fire safety rules, since according to the teachings the carriage burns out in 8 minutes.

Tricks and tricks of conductors

• Before the flight, each conductor is given tea products, the so-called chaika: coffee, tea, snacks, chocolates, etc. All this is brought in large garbage bags, which the employee must disassemble, count the contents, and check the expiration date. If something loses its presentation, for example, cookies break or chocolate melts, the conductor must compensate for the damage.
• Any product you buy on the train must have a special holographic sticker. However, guides often sell not the products given to them, but their own, purchased in nearby stores. Thus, all the money raised goes into their pocket. But, of course, this does not happen often, and only unscrupulous employees do this. By the way, To the left of the conductor's compartment there should be a printout with the entire range and prices.

• If you were given damp, wrinkled underwear and there was no card in the bag indicating when it was packed and by whom, then most likely someone has already slept on it before you. In the slang of conductors, such a set is called “Chinese”, that is, underwear that is reused. For example, a passenger has already gotten off the train, and what is left behind is a clean sheet and an almost unused towel. These things are put aside, and then a complete “set” is assembled from them, which is sealed in cellophane using any heated metal object and passed off as fresh. Of course, such frauds are strictly suppressed by the management, and in case of the slightest suspicion, the passenger can call the Russian Railways hotline, where they will definitely help him.

• By the way, if you didn't buy set of linen, you will not be able to use the mattress and pillow on the train, even if you brought your bedding with you. If an inspection comes and finds that the passenger is lying on a mattress without “official” bed linen, the conductor will be fined.
• Since guides are financially responsible for everything, they must very carefully make sure that nothing goes missing from the carriage, otherwise you will have to compensate for everything from your own pocket. Therefore, before accepting the carriage, the conductor must carefully check everything - from cup holders to blankets. Some guides even tie toilet brushes.

My name is Aksinya Suslonova. I am 20 years old and I am studying at the Far Eastern Federal University with a degree in Social Work. I am actively involved in social activities, I like to take photographs and edit videos (but this is more for myself). Even in my first year, I heard from friends that there are student teams where in the summer, in your free time from school, you can work as a guide. This was my childhood dream that I wanted to fulfill.

It may seem to some that there is nothing complicated in the work of a conductor: you simply check tickets, give out bed linen, and help passengers find their seat when boarding. But this is only at first glance. It seems to me that any job is associated with stress, but working with people is especially so.

During the 15 days you follow, you come across completely different people: blind grandmothers, groups of schoolchildren, touring musicians and, of course, demobilized soldiers hurrying home. I can say that during my trips I spent a lot of nerves trying to resolve conflict situations and passengers’ demands, which sometimes reached the point of absurdity.

I perceived such cases as a chance to test myself to see if I could take control of the situation and quickly find a solution. Of course, I also had night shifts. As practice has shown, no matter how much you sleep during the day, at night you still feel sleepy. But night shifts had an undoubted advantage - they are calmer, there are not so many passengers, everyone is asleep, which means there are fewer problems.

The hardest thing during night shifts was forcing myself not to fall asleep on long hauls. Then an interesting book or scanword puzzles saved me. There were, of course, other difficulties, for example, at some stations there is almost no lighting, and you often cannot understand: “Where is the platform? Which way to open the door? Is it a tree or a running passenger?”

I worked in the direction Vladivostok-Moscow-Vladivostok. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to thoroughly explore the cities we stayed in. You can only take a quiet walk around Moscow, and then that’s it, back home. But I still got a job, not to travel.

According to the stories of friends, there were cases when the guides had to cook chicken legs in a kettle, but this never happened to me. The dining car, of course, gives a discount to employees and you can eat inexpensively, but almost all the conductors cook for themselves. This is not as difficult as it seems: you just need to take a couple of jars of stew, rice with buckwheat or potatoes with you on your trip, and most importantly, a convenient container for the microwave. If you don’t have your own microwave, you can always go to the next carriage. I cooked soups and porridges, and also made salads from vegetables bought at some station.

If you start telling funny stories about working as a conductor, you'll probably end up with a small book. Starting from forgotten suitcases, dentures and panties, to documents accidentally thrown into the trash. People are very funny, they just don’t notice it behind them.

Of course, while I’m still a student, I can only work in the summer. It’s scary to imagine how hard it is to work on trains in winter. It is difficult to say whether I will continue to work for Russian Railways in the future, because it is unknown how my life will turn out. But while I’m studying, I will, of course, work. After all, working as a guide is a very interesting and memorable experience for a lifetime, as well as a good opportunity to earn money in the summer.

Details Updated: 11/04/2019 10:26 Published: 05/08/2017 18:25

The train conductor is a railway employee servicing a passenger carriage.

He monitors cleanliness, works with passengers and with technical equipment: ventilation, heating, electricity and water supply.

Today, getting a job as a conductor is quite easy. You can work both on local flights (in transit less than 24 hours) and on long-distance flights (in transit more than 24 hours).

The profession is difficult both physically and psychologically, so many quit because they can’t bear the load.

History of the profession

Profession train conductor arose simultaneously with passenger rail service. People of this specialty were required to seat passengers and check tickets.

IN THE USSR train conductor job was popular. Some were attracted by the opportunity to travel and see different parts of the country, while others were attracted by the chance to earn money.

Now, as before, it attracts many with a touch of romanticism and the opportunity to receive new impressions every day.

Features of the profession

Profession train conductor is in demand. Both a student and a person of retirement age can apply for a position, the main thing is that their health allows it.

Conductors, like other railway workers, have the right to free travel on railway transport, holidays in a sanatorium and other benefits. This work is quite difficult, because the shift can last several days, you have to sleep a little and in fits and starts, live in a tiny room with a partner, the working conditions are not the best, and there is a lot of responsibility. In addition, along the way you have to deal with a variety of people. Another minus work as a train conductor– long absence from home, often having to miss holidays with family.

Responsibilities

Long before passengers begin to board the train, the conductors begin their work. They participate in planning meetings, receive food, bed linen, etc., and clean the carriage.

On the way, the conductor monitors the accommodation of passengers, provides them with linen, tea, confectionery, informs them about their arrival at the station, cleans the car according to the schedule, controls the operation of ventilation, electrical equipment, lighting, heating, if necessary, provides first aid, helps pensioners and people with disabilities. It is also the responsibility of the conductor to monitor the behavior of passengers and compliance with the rules.

In case of violation of public order, you will be disembarked at the nearest station or call the police who are on the train.

Important qualities

The train conductor is a physically strong and healthy person, able to work both in a team and independently, able to quickly make informed decisions in a stressful situation, analyze and systematize information.

Also important for the conductor:

• punctuality;
• communication skills;
• responsibility;
• tact;
• organization;
• fast reaction;
• attentiveness;
• clear speech;
• hard work.

It is very important to be able to remain calm in case of conflicts and find a common language with different people.

Skills and knowledge

The conductor needs to know the basics of the car structure and equipment, understand the heating system and electrical equipment, and fire extinguishing equipment. In addition, he needs to be able to work with documents and fill out customs declarations. Knowledge in the field of psychology and conflict management will be useful. On international flights, proficiency in a foreign language is required.

"For those who love to travel, receive vivid impressions, watch a kaleidoscope of new faces and communicate with a variety of people! We invite you to visit us..." This is what an advertisement for recruiting those who are ready to surf for days looks like Russia, help passengers, serve tea in iron cup holders and change bed linen at each station, of course. For those who are ready to choose a profession as a passenger carriage conductor. People who have already worked in this difficult profile can add to the colorful descriptions permanent lack of sleep and a day without sleep, showdowns with rowdies, irregular work schedules, fines and low (relatively, however, in our country everything is relative) wages.

Nevertheless, the profession of a guide remains the most beloved for many who have chosen it. Example - Maria Ukolova and Pavel Skvortsov. In a long interview with the site Ezhmedia young people told why they chose this profession and never regret it.

Masha is an architect, and Pavel is a car mechanic. But they were united by the railway, the work of a conductor and the place of training - the Vladimir student brigade of conductors ( SOP) « Pulse».

To become a “car driver” and take courses, you must be at least 18 and not older than 24 years old. Go through a medical examination, fill out a form and, as it is written on the website: “pack your things, don’t forget a lot of positive things and a sea of ​​energy, and set off for the whole summer to conquer the city on the Neva (training takes place in St. Petersburg)". The ex-head of SOP “Impulse” spoke about other features of the site Elena Mishkanova.

“Students, boys and girls, are coming. Judging by last year, the excitement has already subsided. About 3-4 years ago it came to the initial stage more than 100 people. Education means lectures, exams, and passing a diploma. Everything is standard.

In a week you can see both a polar day and a dolphin in the sea.

There is a desire to work on a branded train, there is already advanced training, other categories and additional training. Just a student right away no one will put work for a company train.

It was our detachment that was trained by technical school teachers from Malaya Vishera. And so, in general, there are many SOP institutions where there is such a specialty.

The beauty of the profession is that Russian Railways- this is an incredible accumulation of different people and emotions. When you are a guide, you are always outside your comfort zone, this greatly improves your own personal qualities. And no one has canceled the beauty of nature outside the window. You can see it in a week and a polar day, and a dolphin in the sea", explained Elena Mishkanova.

After completing special courses, no one will force you to go work as a guide. Every free to do what is more interesting, necessary and important to him. Maria and Pavel decided to continue not to study, but to learn in practice what the profession of a guide is. True, as the guys admitted, it is still more comfortable and peaceful for them to work, albeit on the same train, but in different cars.

The heroes of the interview work on the route St. Petersburg - Adler in a double-decker carriage. “The first fundamental difference is the capacity of the compartment car. Here 64 people, not 32, as in the usual composition. Secondly, everything works throughout the entire route. This is a great happiness for the conductor, as well as for the passengers. Each compartment has 4 sockets, no one stands near the toilets with a phone to charge it. By the way, the car is heated without coal; just press a button and the temperature will be ideal. No titanium with boiling water- passengers come directly to the conductor with a small electric kettle. Many carriages do not have a conductor's compartment; in its place is a coffee machine. And video cameras do not leave smokers a single chance to break the ban.”

Maria and Pavel work according to the following scheme: completed two flights, you take two flights to rest. But it’s already summer, the girl says, and now you can only dream about relaxation.

When working in the last carriage, you still have time to monitor the serviceability of the tail signal lights.

In fact, the most important thing for a conductor is to provide maximum comfort to all passengers without exception. In addition, his responsibilities include working with all technical equipment of the train: water supply, ventilation, electricity, as well as sanitary treatment. Conductor should be able to provide medical assistance, help with paperwork (if the train crosses the border). When working in the last car you need more have time to follow for the serviceability of the tail signal lights.

A conductor's salary depends on several factors: seasonality(in summer there are more flights and passengers), train type(new equipment is modern, it is more difficult to work with, and therefore the salary is higher). The wages on branded trains are higher than on regular trains. We will not talk about any specific amounts: they change too often. For example, this year salaries have already increased since March 1, and will be indexed again in October.

If you go through sites on the Internet, the following picture emerges. On average, a conductor receives about 23 thousand rubles. This is if we assume that it works according to the norm, that is 176 hours per month. But very often conductors, wanting to receive more, overwork this limit. If we consider the option when bonuses, overtime and other allowances are awarded for work, then a “car driver” can receive about 50 thousand rubles. But, as they clarify on the websites, fulfilling such a norm is extremely problematic.

In addition, for every five years of continuous work, the conductor receives a bonus in the amount of 3-4 salaries. Every year, vouchers to sanatoriums and summer camps are allocated - free or partially paid. Provodnikov serve free of charge in clinics at Russian Railways.

If you have the desire and strength, you can “rise” to the head of the train, shift and, ultimately, the station.

There is also a gradation. The first link is an employee of local trains, then up the career ladder - a conductor of long-distance trains and company trains. If you have the desire and strength, you can " rise to the rank» to the train manager, the shift manager and, ultimately, the station. And this is facilitated by the fact that there is no age limit in the profession. From 18 and... if you have the desire and health, you can work even after reaching retirement.

The guides also have an interesting additional service. After the flights they " go for a smile" This means a visit to a psychologist. There they are taught to recognize different types of people, identify the most conflicting ones, and learn how to behave correctly with such personnel.

The profession of a guide does not always mean monotonous trips between cities. Two thousand workers in this field have already completed additional training courses before the start of the June 14 in Russia World Cup. We're talking about this. And who wouldn’t be interested in chatting with fans from Panama, Australia or Costa Rica? And even over the course of not just one feast, but an entire multi-hour trip? Now you can’t guess how such an acquaintance could end.

P. S. We have contacted the main characters of the material and will try to write about them in more detail in the near future.

Maxim Yaroshevsky