The cowcatcher of a locomotive.

an inclined metal frame at the front of a locomotive to clear the track

An employee assigned to a train or track car when the Engineer, Conductor, or Track Car Driver is not qualified on the physical characteristics or the operating rules of the territory traversed.

Formally called a "cow-catcher", the pilot is the lower front portion of the locomotive that protects the wheels from objects on the track. Many pilots have permanent snow plows mounted on them.

An employee assigned to a train when the engineer or conductor is not qualified on that segment of track.

An employee assigned to a train when the engineer or conductor is not acquainted with the rules or portion of a railroad over which the train is to be moved.

In railroading, the pilot is the device mounted at the front of a locomotive to deflect obstacles from the track that might otherwise derail the train. Archaically this was called a cowcatcher, and this is still the common layman's usage, but this term is deprecated and has not been used by railroad workers for more than a century. The device itself was invented by Charles Babbage in the 19th century, during his period of working for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.