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Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators: Career Profile
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 Perform?
Typical responsibilities of rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators span:
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such 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
How Many Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Are There?
There are about 200,941 rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -4.2% over the projection horizon.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $60,332 |
| Hourly median | $29.01 |
| 10th percentile | $37,471 |
| 25th percentile | $48,902 |
| 75th percentile | $71,763 |
| 90th percentile | $83,194 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Salary by State
| 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 |
| Kansas | $69,990 |
| Wyoming | $69,690 |
| Missouri | $69,610 |
| California | $69,260 |
| Arkansas | $68,950 |
| Montana | $67,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,120 |
| Washington | $64,950 |
| New Jersey | $64,840 |
| South Dakota | $64,550 |
| Colorado | $63,290 |
| Idaho | $62,810 |
| Utah | $61,520 |
| Tennessee | $61,290 |
| Nevada | $60,960 |
| Florida | $60,860 |
| Georgia | $60,660 |
| Virginia | $60,460 |
| Oregon | $60,380 |
| Texas | $56,040 |
| Alabama | $48,970 |
| Minnesota | $48,490 |
| Kentucky | $47,990 |
| West Virginia | $47,330 |
| Ohio | $47,160 |
| North Carolina | $45,760 |
Where Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators Earn the Most
Compensation for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators 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 | $82,840 | 2.7% | 1.01 |
| Middle Atlantic | $81,714 | 31.0% | 2.65 |
| Far Western US | $66,400 | 7.8% | 0.62 |
| Great Lakes | $65,749 | 17.6% | 1.51 |
| Rocky Mountains | $65,314 | 5.0% | 2.47 |
| Plains States | $62,729 | 7.5% | 1.34 |
| Southeast | $53,705 | 16.4% | 0.88 |
| Southwest | $49,049 | 12.0% | 0.93 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $84,840 | 2,540 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $84,800 | 200 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $84,000 | 60 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $82,910 | 40 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $78,280 | 480 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $70,640 | 90 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $62,020 | 30 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | CO | $57,600 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
Most rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 11,560 | $64,550 |
| Construction | 980 | $45,890 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 50 | $66,350 |
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators work in the following industries:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The work environment for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
Typical rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators 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
- Construction Laborers (Primary-Long)
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Pile Driver Operators (Primary-Short)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Pipelayers (Supplemental)
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers (Supplemental)
- Highway Maintenance Workers (Supplemental)
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators often complete programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
References
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: 47-4061.00 (Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators).
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