All About Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
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.
A Day in the Life of a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator
- Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
- Clean tracks or clear ice or snow from tracks or switch boxes.
- Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
- Weld sections of track together, such as switch points and frogs.
- Push controls to close grasping devices on track or rail sections so that they can be raised or moved.
- Drive vehicles that automatically move and lay tracks or rails over sections of track to be constructed, repaired, or maintained.
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Qualities of a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Other Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Job Titles
- Track Foreman
- Track Equipment Operator (TEO)
- Track Repair Worker
- Track Grinder Operator
- Track Laborer
Job Opportunities for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
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. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,500 job openings in this field each 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.
Average Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary
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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Data entry software
- Timekeeping software
How to Become a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator
What kind of Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator requirements are there?
What work experience do I need to become a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator?
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Sector
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
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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