All About Locomotive Firers
Locomotive Firer Example Monitor locomotive instruments and watch for dragging equipment, obstacles on rights-of-way, and train signals during run. Watch for and relay traffic signals from yard workers to yard engineer in railroad yard.
Locomotive Firer Responsibilities
- Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.
- Inspect locomotives to detect damaged or worn parts.
- Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
- Monitor oil, temperature, and pressure gauges on dashboards to determine if engines are operating safely and efficiently.
- Start diesel engines to warm engines before runs.
- Signal other workers to set brakes and to throw track switches when switching cars from trains to way stations.
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Qualities of a Locomotive Firer
Below is a list of the skills most Locomotive Firers say are important on the job.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Other Locomotive Firer Job Titles
- Diesel Locomotive Firer
- Dinkey Engine Firer
- Assistant Engineer
- Railroad Firer
- Assistant Passenger Locomotive Engineer
Is There Job Demand for Locomotive Firers?
In the United States, there were 1,200 jobs for Locomotive Firer in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Locomotive Firer.

The states with the most job growth for Locomotive Firer are Idaho and Indiana. Watch out if you plan on working in Indiana or Idaho. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Locomotive Firer
The typical yearly salary for Locomotive Firers is somewhere between $53,180 and $99,630.

Locomotive Firers who work in Alabama, make the highest salaries.
How much do Locomotive Firers make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $66,810 |
What Tools do Locomotive Firers Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Locomotive Firers may use on a daily basis:
- Data entry software
- Route mapping software
- Time tracking software
Becoming a Locomotive Firer
What kind of Locomotive Firer requirements are there?

What work experience do I need to become a Locomotive Firer?

Where Locomotive Firers Work

Locomotive Firers work in the following industries:

You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Locomotive Firer might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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