Life As a Rail Car Repairer
Position Description Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars.
Daily Life Of a Rail Car Repairer
- Repair car upholstery.
- Repair, fabricate, and install steel or wood fittings, using blueprints, shop sketches, and instruction manuals.
- Perform scheduled maintenance, and clean units and components.
- Install and repair interior flooring, fixtures, walls, plumbing, steps, and platforms.
- Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
- Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.
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Rail Car Repairer Required Skills
These are the skills Rail Car Repairers say are the most useful in their careers:
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Types of Rail Car Repairer Jobs
- Streetcar Repairer
- Coach Mechanic
- Signal Constructor
- Air Brake Man
- Air Brake Mechanic
Job Opportunities for Rail Car Repairers
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 22,300 jobs in the United States for Rail Car Repairer. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 4.9% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,100 new jobs for Rail Car Repairer by 2026. There will be an estimated 2,300 positions for Rail Car Repairer per year.

The states with the most job growth for Rail Car Repairer are Idaho, Utah, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Wisconsin, West Virginia, or North Carolina. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Rail Car Repairer Make?
The average yearly salary of a Rail Car Repairer ranges between $33,700 and $78,420.

Rail Car Repairers who work in West Virginia, New York, or Alaska, make the highest salaries.
How much do Rail Car Repairers make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $49,690 |
Alaska | $68,390 |
Arizona | $56,200 |
Arkansas | $55,650 |
California | $55,320 |
Colorado | $60,820 |
Florida | $57,780 |
Georgia | $46,500 |
Idaho | $45,620 |
Illinois | $52,920 |
Indiana | $50,190 |
Iowa | $48,680 |
Kansas | $49,060 |
Kentucky | $56,720 |
Louisiana | $51,470 |
Maine | $44,470 |
Maryland | $65,350 |
Massachusetts | $67,660 |
Michigan | $55,880 |
Minnesota | $58,240 |
Mississippi | $45,830 |
Missouri | $53,170 |
Montana | $58,800 |
Nebraska | $46,160 |
New Jersey | $65,890 |
New Mexico | $62,300 |
New York | $71,250 |
North Carolina | $44,740 |
North Dakota | $54,150 |
Ohio | $49,100 |
Oklahoma | $52,460 |
Oregon | $64,230 |
Pennsylvania | $61,430 |
South Carolina | $46,400 |
Tennessee | $57,400 |
Texas | $52,290 |
Utah | $41,920 |
Virginia | $62,300 |
Washington | $58,090 |
West Virginia | $66,810 |
Wisconsin | $56,040 |
Wyoming | $60,730 |
What Tools & Technology do Rail Car Repairers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Rail Car Repairers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Windows
- Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Mozilla Firefox
How do I Become a Rail Car Repairer?
Are there Rail Car Repairers education requirements?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Rail Car Repairer?

Where do Rail Car Repairers Work?

The table below shows the approximate number of Rail Car Repairers employed by various industries.

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those interested in being a Rail Car Repairer may also be interested in:
Those who work as a Rail Car Repairer sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Margo Wright via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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