Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Iowa
Want to work as a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in Iowa? Here’s what the data says. 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.
What do Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Make in Iowa?
The rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators working in Iowa, the typical annual salary is $79,240 per year (or about $38.10/hour).Annual wages span from $31,230 at the 10th percentile to $79,360 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $31,230 | $15.01 |
| 25th percentile | $34,330 | $16.50 |
| Median (50th) | $79,240 | $38.10 |
| 75th percentile | $79,320 | $38.14 |
| 90th percentile | $79,360 | $38.15 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Iowa relative to the national average — is 1.14, suggesting that rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators earn a median of $60,332 per year ($29.01/hour), above the Iowa median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 200,941 rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators in the U.S.. In Iowa alone, approximately 190 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 220 rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators.
Top States for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Employment
The table below shows the states where the most rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| New York | 3,330 |
| Texas | 1,160 |
| Ohio | 980 |
| Illinois | 960 |
| Florida | 580 |
| California | 560 |
| Pennsylvania | 560 |
| Indiana | 510 |
| Minnesota | 430 |
| Washington | 410 |
| Massachusetts | 390 |
| Georgia | 370 |
| Tennessee | 350 |
| Oklahoma | 310 |
| Maryland | 290 |
| North Carolina | 290 |
| Kansas | 280 |
| New Jersey | 240 |
| Alabama | 220 |
| Colorado | 200 |
Highest-Paying States for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
Where rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators earn the most: rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $90,410 |
| Delaware | $86,330 |
| New York | $84,840 |
| Massachusetts | $82,840 |
| Indiana | $79,320 |
| Iowa | $79,240 |
| Illinois | $76,930 |
| Arizona | $75,770 |
| New Mexico | $74,460 |
| Wisconsin | $70,870 |
Skills
Key rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Day-to-day, rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators typically:
- 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.
- Operate track wrenches to tighten or loosen bolts at joints that hold ends of rails together.
- Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
- Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
- Drill holes through rails, tie plates, or fishplates for insertion of bolts or spikes, using power drills.
- Clean tracks or clear ice or snow from tracks or switch boxes.
- Clean, grade, or level ballast on railroad tracks.
- Raise rails, using hydraulic jacks, to allow for tie removal and replacement.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Related college programs include:
- Ground Transportation
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators include:
- Construction Laborers
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Pile Driver Operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Pipelayers
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers
Also Known As
Ballast Cleaning Machine Operator, Emergency Service Restorer, Machine Operator, Maintenance Laborer, Oil Distributor Tender, Portable Grinding Machine Operator, Rail Maintenance Worker, Rail Track Layer, Rail Track Maintainer, Railroad Track Mechanic, Railway Equipment Operator, Section Hand, Section Laborer, Special Equipment Operator, Stone Crusher Operator.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 47-4061.00
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