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Rail Car Repairers: Career Profile
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars.
The Daily Work of Rail Car Repairers Do?
Typical responsibilities of rail car repairers cover:
- Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.
- Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed.
- Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.
- Inspect the interior and exterior of rail cars coming into rail yards to identify defects and to determine the extent of wear and damage.
- Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
- Test units for operability before and after repairs.
- Adjust repaired or replaced units as needed to ensure proper operation.
- Repair, fabricate, and install steel or wood fittings, using blueprints, shop sketches, and instruction manuals.
What Rail Car Repairers Need to Know
Top rail car repairers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Air Brake Adjuster
- Air Brake Man
- Air Brake Mechanic
- Air Brake Rigger
- Air Brake Worker
- Air Compressor Mechanic
- Air Valve Mechanic
- Air Valve Repairer
Job Outlook
There are roughly 269,068 rail car repairers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +14.4% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Rail Car Repairers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $49,359 |
| Hourly median | $23.73 |
| 10th percentile | $29,730 |
| 25th percentile | $39,544 |
| 75th percentile | $59,174 |
| 90th percentile | $68,988 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Rail Car Repairers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $97,660 |
| Oregon | $85,380 |
| New York | $85,160 |
| Maryland | $84,840 |
| Wisconsin | $84,750 |
| Colorado | $84,420 |
| Minnesota | $79,330 |
| Delaware | $77,240 |
| New Jersey | $76,740 |
| Utah | $75,280 |
| Illinois | $73,480 |
| Indiana | $72,740 |
| Florida | $66,760 |
| California | $66,740 |
| Nebraska | $66,440 |
| South Dakota | $65,780 |
| Arizona | $64,790 |
| Iowa | $63,290 |
| Missouri | $63,100 |
| Tennessee | $62,350 |
| New Mexico | $61,750 |
| Idaho | $61,640 |
| Georgia | $60,050 |
| Oklahoma | $59,070 |
| Washington | $58,870 |
| Michigan | $58,680 |
| Texas | $58,500 |
| South Carolina | $57,760 |
| Kentucky | $57,180 |
| North Carolina | $57,150 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,790 |
| Nevada | $55,750 |
| Wyoming | $52,720 |
| Arkansas | $52,530 |
| Ohio | $52,160 |
| Kansas | $51,500 |
| Louisiana | $50,250 |
| Alabama | $49,480 |
| West Virginia | $48,180 |
Where Rail Car Repairers Earn the Most
Compensation for rail car repairers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $97,660 | 3.6% | 1.43 |
| Middle Atlantic | $75,651 | 20.6% | 1.33 |
| Rocky Mountains | $70,110 | 3.4% | 2.69 |
| Far Western US | $68,505 | 6.6% | 0.46 |
| Great Lakes | $68,133 | 16.2% | 1.40 |
| Plains States | $65,757 | 10.9% | 2.55 |
| Southwest | $59,087 | 15.2% | 1.23 |
| Southeast | $52,112 | 23.5% | 1.52 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $90,050 | 660 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $85,380 | 120 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $84,840 | 190 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $77,910 | 560 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $72,660 | 480 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | NC | $68,860 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | MO | $62,990 | 80 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | KY | $60,740 | 130 |
Top Industries Employing Rail Car Repairers
Most rail car repairers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 15,650 | $63,100 |
| Manufacturing | 430 | $57,330 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 30 | $79,830 |
Below are examples of industries where rail car repairers work:
Tools and Technology
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Internet browser software: Mozilla Firefox (hot technology)
- Compiler and decompiler software: Disassembler software (in demand)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of rail car repairers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Spend Time Standing
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
Most rail car repairers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (Supplemental)
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers (Primary-Long)
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics (Primary-Short)
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines (Primary-Short)
Where to Study
Future rail car repairers commonly pursue programs in:
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 49-3043.00 (Rail Car Repairers).
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