A conductor or guard is a train crew member responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve actual operation of the train/locomotive. The conductor title is most common in North American railway operations, but the role is common worldwide under various job titles. In Commonwealth English, a conductor is also known as guard or train manager.
A conductor on an Amtrak train
German conductor signaling for the departure of a train. The red armband on his uniform identifies him as a conductor.
Hungarian MÁV conductor
A Russian train conductor in front of the express train "Repin"
A train is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by locomotives or railcars, though some are self-propelled, such as multiple units. Passengers and cargo are carried in railroad cars, also known as wagons. Trains are designed to a certain gauge, or distance between rails. Most trains operate on steel tracks with steel wheels, the low friction of which makes them more efficient than other forms of transport.
An electric locomotive pulling a passenger train in Russia
A rack railway in Switzerland
Diesel locomotives pulling a freight train in New Zealand
A suspended monorail in Germany