The most visible part of Jokioinen Museum Railway are traffic duties related to museum trains. The majority of railway staff is trained by an own education system. In addition, several current and former state railway professionals also work in museum railway in voluntary basis. Read how to join our staff and work in traffic duties in a real narrow gauge railway!
Although the museum railway traffic is ran by volunteers, it means a great responsibility, because the museum trains are carrying passengers. To ensure the safety, the own system of education and safety management is used. Steam locomotive pressure devices are monitored by outside authorities.
To work in traffic duties in Jokioinen Museum Railway, one have to pass an OLM (signals and traffic rules) exam and practical training to different duties. To drive a diesel locomotive, the locomotive type-specific training and test is also required. For steam locomotive fireman and engineer duties are also an own education system.
Age limits and health requirements
Following age limits are valid in Jokioinen Museum Railway traffic:
15 years in brakeman and junior conductor (ticket inspector) duties. This limit is also valid for hand trolley driver when trolley is used in a railway line with no other traffic. Otherwise the hand trolley driver must be at least 18 years old.
18 years in senior conductor, pointsman, train dispatcher and locomotive fireman duties. Also valid for locomotive driver of railcar or diesel locomotive in service train.
20 years for diesel locomotive driver of passenger train. Also at least two years practice of current locomotive type is required.
23 years for steam locomotive engineer.
The maximum age limit in traffic duties is 70 years. Chief of operations may grant a personal extension for one years at once.
The volunteer in traffic duty must have sufficiently good hearing, eyesight and color vision. He must not have any health problems, which could risk traffic safety. If requested, the suitability for the duty have to be proved by a medical certificate.
Training for traffic duties
OLM examination should be performed before proceeding with the traffic duties. It can be done either broad or minimum. Hand trolley driver does not need to carry out OLM examination, if trolley is used in railway line without other traffic.
Joint traffic training sessions are held about once a year. Supervised written examination is carried out either individually or with training session. Before proceeding with the traffic duty is a task-specific training carried out under the certificated person's supervision.
Today, OLM qualification is divided into three different levels. A level allows to work in all duties, as long as the required training has been completed. Level B allows to work other tasks except train dispatcher, locomotive driver or engineer or conductor positions. Level C allows to work in brakeman and fireman trainee positions.
OLM degree is valid from examination year to fifth calendar year following the end of April. This involves working in at least one traffic duty per every year.
Locomotive training
To work as a diesel locomotive driver one must pass OLM exam and locomotive type-specific training.
To work as a steam locomotive fireman one have to take part of training program, pass an theoretical exam and practical test.