What Does it Take to Be a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator?
Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Job 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.
List of Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Job Duties
- Drive graders, tamping machines, brooms, or ballast spreading machines to redistribute gravel or ballast between rails.
- Operate tie-adzing machines to cut ties and permit insertion of fishplates that hold rails.
- Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
- Paint railroad signs, such as speed limits or gate-crossing warnings.
- Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
- Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
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What a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Should Know
These are the skills Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Types of Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Jobs
- Rail Track Layer
- Track Laborer
- Rail Track Maintainer
- Track Laying Equipment Operator
- Portable Grinding Machine Operator
Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Employment Estimates
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 14,000 jobs in the United States for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 8.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,200 new jobs for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,500 positions for Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator per year.
The states with the most job growth for Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator are Florida, Texas, and South Carolina. Watch out if you plan on working in Minnesota, Alaska, or Arkansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
What is the Average Salary of a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator
The average yearly salary of a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator ranges between $33,970 and $79,900.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators who work in Massachusetts, New York, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.
How much do Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $45,170 |
| Arizona | $49,670 |
| Arkansas | $52,660 |
| California | $51,330 |
| Colorado | $54,160 |
| Florida | $47,060 |
| Georgia | $52,440 |
| Idaho | $55,690 |
| Illinois | $56,610 |
| Indiana | $57,100 |
| Iowa | $52,840 |
| Kansas | $50,290 |
| Kentucky | $45,780 |
| Louisiana | $52,690 |
| Maine | $44,460 |
| Maryland | $60,500 |
| Massachusetts | $76,360 |
| Michigan | $53,190 |
| Minnesota | $50,040 |
| Missouri | $48,380 |
| Montana | $54,390 |
| Nebraska | $58,960 |
| New Hampshire | $36,180 |
| New Jersey | $57,880 |
| New Mexico | $53,290 |
| New York | $69,080 |
| North Carolina | $48,800 |
| Ohio | $49,700 |
| Oklahoma | $37,850 |
| Oregon | $62,680 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,510 |
| South Carolina | $39,250 |
| South Dakota | $48,320 |
| Tennessee | $52,060 |
| Texas | $48,590 |
| Utah | $47,820 |
| Vermont | $49,250 |
| Virginia | $54,980 |
| Washington | $56,410 |
| West Virginia | $58,940 |
| Wisconsin | $50,560 |
| Wyoming | $65,850 |
What Tools & Technology do Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Data entry software
- Timekeeping software
How do I Become a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator?
What education is needed to be a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator?
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator may also be interested in:
Are you already one of the many Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
- Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers
- First-Line Supervisors of Agricultural Crop and Horticultural Workers
- Mine Cutting and Channeling Machine Operators
- Locomotive Engineers
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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