What Do Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator Do?
Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Example 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.
Life As a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator
- Operate tie-adzing machines to cut ties and permit insertion of fishplates that hold rails.
- Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
- Engage mechanisms that lay tracks or rails to specified gauges.
- Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
- Dress and reshape worn or damaged railroad switch points or frogs, using portable power grinders.
- Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
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Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator Skills
When polled, Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
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.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
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.
Related Job Titles
- Track Dresser
- Track Laying Equipment Operator
- Ballast Cleaning Machine Operator
- Track Laying Machine Operator
- Special Equipment Operator
Is There Going to be Demand 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. The BLS estimates 1,500 yearly job openings in this field.
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.
What is the Average Salary of a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator
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.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators in different U.S. states.
| 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
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators:
- Microsoft Excel
- Data entry software
- Timekeeping software
Becoming a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator
Learn what Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operator?
Where do Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Work?
The table below shows the approximate number of Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operator may also be interested in:
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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