Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in West Virginia
Want to work as a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in West Virginia? Below are the key facts. 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 West Virginia?
For a rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators working in West Virginia, the median annual wage is $47,330 per year (or roughly $22.75/hour).Annual wages span from $30,220 at the 10th percentile to $67,060 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $30,220 | $14.53 |
| 25th percentile | $40,790 | $19.61 |
| Median (50th) | $47,330 | $22.75 |
| 75th percentile | $61,250 | $29.45 |
| 90th percentile | $67,060 | $32.24 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in West Virginia nationwide is 2.60, meaning 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), below the West Virginia median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 200,941 rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators across the United States. In West Virginia alone, about 200 people work in this role. That’s below 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
View the states that employ 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
Top 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
Common tasks include:
- 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
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Ground Transportation
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Related Careers
Careers similar 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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