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Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers in California

Want to work as a Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers in California? Here’s what the data says. Drive switching or other locomotive or dinkey engines within railroad yard, industrial plant, quarry, construction project, or similar location.

What do Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Make in California?

For a rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers working in California, wages run about $65,500 per year (or roughly $31.49/hour).Earnings range from $56,980 at the 10th percentile to $65,530 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$56,980	$27.39
25th percentile	$58,550	$28.15
Median (50th)	$65,500	$31.49
75th percentile	$65,530	$31.50
90th percentile	$65,530	$31.50

The job concentration index in California compared to the national average — is 0.73, indicating fewer rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers earn a median of $48,096 per year ($23.12/hour), above the California median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 1,375,225 rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers across the United States. In California alone, approximately 280 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 70 rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers.

Top States for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers Employment

These states have the highest employment of rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers work.

State	Number Employed
Indiana	300
California	280
New Jersey	210
Georgia	170
Kentucky	120
Texas	80
West Virginia	70
Pennsylvania	60
Kansas	60
Alabama	50
North Dakota	50
Arkansas	30
Florida	30

Highest-Paying States for Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers

These states pay the most for rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers.

State	Annual Median Salary
New York	$73,840
North Dakota	$73,620
West Virginia	$70,480
California	$65,500
Pennsylvania	$64,130
New Jersey	$59,450
Florida	$58,220
Ohio	$58,000
Alabama	$57,050
Texas	$53,250

Skills

Top rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Key abilities for rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers typically:

• Observe and respond to wayside and cab signals, including color light signals, position signals, torpedoes, flags, and hot box detectors.
• Inspect engines before and after use to ensure proper operation.
• Apply and release hand brakes.
• Signal crew members for movement of engines or trains, using lanterns, hand signals, radios, or telephones.
• Confer with conductors and other workers via radiotelephones or computers to exchange switching information.
• Inspect track for defects such as broken rails and switch malfunctions.
• Observe water levels and oil, air, and steam pressure gauges to ensure proper operation of equipment.
• Couple and uncouple air hoses and electrical connections between cars.
• Drive engines within railroad yards or other establishments to couple, uncouple, or switch railroad cars.
• Inspect the condition of stationary trains, rolling stock, and equipment.
• Read switching instructions and daily car schedules to determine work to be performed, or receive orders from yard conductors.
• Receive, relay, and act upon instructions and inquiries from train operations and customer service center personnel.

Work Activities

• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include:

• Positive train control PTC systems (expert system software)
• Railcar inspection management software (facilities management software)
• RailComm DocYard (industrial control software)
• Railyard inventory software (inventory management software)
• Railyard management software RMS (data base user interface and query software)
• Softrail AEI Automatic Yard Tracking System (industrial control software)
• Softrail AEI Rail & Road Manager (inventory management software)
• Web browser software (internet browser software)

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

• Ground Transportation

Related Careers

Related occupations to rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers include:

• Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
• Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
• Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

Also Known As

Car Barn Laborer, Car Mover, Carman, Coal Tram Driver, Coal Trammer, Diesel Dinkey Engineer, Diesel Dinkey Operator, Dinkey Driver, Dinkey Engine Operator, Dinkey Engineer, Dinkey Locomotive Engineer, Dinkey Locomotive Operator, Dinkey Motor Operator, Dinkey Operator, Dinkey Skinner.

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: 53-4013.00