Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in Pennsylvania
Thinking about a career as a Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters in Pennsylvania? Here’s what you need to know. Coordinate activities of switch-engine crew within railroad yard, industrial plant, or similar location. Conductors coordinate activities of train crew on passenger or freight trains. Yardmasters review train schedules and switching orders and coordinate activities of workers engaged in railroad traffic operations, such as the makeup or breakup of trains and yard switching.
What do Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Make in Pennsylvania?
For railroad conductors and yardmasters working in Pennsylvania, the typical annual salary is $79,180 per year (or about $38.07/hour).Pay can range from $50,910 at the 10th percentile to $79,750 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,910 | $24.48 |
| 25th percentile | $62,570 | $30.08 |
| Median (50th) | $79,180 | $38.07 |
| 75th percentile | $79,260 | $38.11 |
| 90th percentile | $79,750 | $38.34 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Pennsylvania relative to the national average — is 1.55, indicating that railroad conductors and yardmasters are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, railroad conductors and yardmasters earn a median of $61,311 per year ($29.48/hour), above the Pennsylvania median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 1,229,858 railroad conductors and yardmasters nationwide. In Pennsylvania alone, approximately 2,580 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 590 railroad conductors and yardmasters.
Top States for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters Employment
The table below shows the states where the most railroad conductors and yardmasters work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| New York | 6,740 |
| Texas | 4,340 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,580 |
| Illinois | 2,570 |
| Indiana | 1,670 |
| California | 1,390 |
| Georgia | 1,370 |
| Kansas | 1,300 |
| Florida | 1,250 |
| Nebraska | 1,210 |
| Iowa | 1,080 |
| Washington | 1,020 |
| Ohio | 890 |
| Tennessee | 730 |
| Michigan | 660 |
| Minnesota | 590 |
| Missouri | 590 |
| Arkansas | 530 |
| North Carolina | 500 |
| Oregon | 410 |
Highest-Paying States for Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
Where railroad conductors and yardmasters earn the most: railroad conductors and yardmasters.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Indiana | $82,460 |
| Florida | $82,060 |
| Delaware | $80,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,180 |
| Maryland | $78,190 |
| New York | $78,050 |
| Nebraska | $77,330 |
| Virginia | $76,720 |
| Iowa | $76,640 |
| Oklahoma | $76,040 |
Skills
The most important railroad conductors and yardmasters skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for railroad conductors and yardmasters, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Signal engineers to begin train runs, stop trains, or change speed, using telecommunications equipment or hand signals.
- Confer with engineers regarding train routes, timetables, and cargoes, and to discuss alternative routes when there are rail defects or obstructions.
- Receive information regarding train or rail problems from dispatchers or from electronic monitoring devices.
- Receive instructions from dispatchers regarding trains' routes, timetables, and cargoes.
- Direct and instruct workers engaged in yard activities, such as switching tracks, coupling and uncoupling cars, and routing inbound and outbound traffic.
- Operate controls to activate track switches and traffic signals.
- Keep records of the contents and destination of each train car, and make sure that cars are added or removed at proper points on routes.
- Arrange for the removal of defective cars from trains at stations or stops.
- Direct engineers to move cars to fit planned train configurations, combining or separating cars to make up or break up trains.
- Inspect each car periodically during runs.
- Review schedules, switching orders, way bills, and shipping records to obtain cargo loading and unloading information and to plan work.
- Confirm routes and destination information for freight cars.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Controlling Machines and Processes
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel In-demand technologies: Microsoft Office software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Ground Transportation
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to railroad conductors and yardmasters include:
- Transit and Railroad Police
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers
- Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors
Also Known As
Car Chaser, Car Dispatcher, Car Distributor, Car Spotter, Centralized Traffic Control Operator (CTC Operator), Conductor, Dispatch Manager, Engine Supervisor, Freight Conductor, Freight Trainperson, Motor Boss, Outbound Manager, Outbound Operator, Outbound Supervisor, Passenger Car Conductor.
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: 53-4031.00
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