page_title: Dispatcher
section_title: Railroad dispatchers
hierarchical_section_title: Dispatcher / Types of dispatchers / Railroad dispatchers
caption_attribution_description: English: Penn Central Southern Region (Columbus Division) Crew Dispatcher John Patterson is in his office at Hilliard Yard, Ohio keeping track of train crew assignments for the 60 crews a day passing thru this relief point.
context_page_description: A dispatcher is a communications worker who receives and transmits information to coordinate operations of other personnel and vehicles carrying out a service. A number of organizations, including police and fire departments, emergency medical services, motorcycle couriers, taxicab providers, trucking companies, railroads, and public utility companies, use dispatchers to relay information, direct personnel, and coordinate their operations.
context_section_description: A train dispatcher is employed by a railroad to direct and facilitate the movement of trains over an assigned territory, which is usually part, or all, of a railroad operating division. The dispatcher is also responsible for cost effective movement of trains and other on-track railroad equipment to optimize physical (trains) and human resource (crews) assets.
  A crew dispatcher is also employed by the railroad to keep track of train crews and their assignments.  The crew dispatcher is responsible for assigning train crew to trains based upon scheduled rosters, and also making real-time adjustments as necessary based on rail traffic conditions and delays.  The crew dispatcher is normally assisted by a crew caller whose responsibility is to telephone the train and engine crews to advise them of time to report for duty.  The crew dispatcher is also responsible for checking that each train and engine crew are properly qualified for their assignments and have had proper rest according to labour regulations.
caption: A crew dispatcher keeping track of train crew assignments in Penn Central
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