Description
Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Work Styles
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Concern for Others
- Cooperation
- Integrity
Tasks
- Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
- Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
- Weld sections of track together, such as switch points and frogs.
- Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
- Operate single- or multiple-head spike driving machines to drive spikes into ties and secure rails.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Detailed Work Activities
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
- Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
- Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Technology Skills
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Time accounting software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Abilities
- Control Precision
- Manual Dexterity
- Multilimb Coordination
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Far Vision
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Equipment Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Coordination
Knowledge
- Transportation
- Mechanical
- Building and Construction
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
This information is currently unavailable.
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $45,720 |
| Median (50%) | $67,370 |
| High (90%) | $84,840 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | N/A |
| Mid Level | N/A |
| Senior Level | N/A |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 17,700 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to increase to 18,100 positions, reflecting a projected growth of 3%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of 3%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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