What You Need to Know About Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator
Example of Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator Job Operate railroad track switches. Couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Signal engineers by hand or flagging. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes.
Daily Life Of a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator
- Ride atop cars that have been shunted, and turn handwheels to control speeds or stop cars at specified positions.
- Provide passengers with assistance entering and exiting trains.
- Record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed.
- Inspect tracks, cars, and engines for defects and to determine service needs, sending engines and cars for repairs as necessary.
- Watch for and relay traffic signals to start and stop cars during shunting.
- Set flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.
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Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator Required Skills
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Related Job Titles
- Rider
- Conductor
- Road Freight Brake Coupler
- Locomotive Engineer
- Locomotive Operator Helper
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 19,300 jobs for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator. The BLS estimates 1,700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator are Nebraska, Texas, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Louisiana, Tennessee, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator Average Salary
The salary for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators ranges between about $34,610 and $85,590 a year.
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators who work in South Carolina, Massachusetts, or Minnesota, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,250 |
| Arkansas | $45,000 |
| Florida | $39,450 |
| Georgia | $54,570 |
| Illinois | $63,030 |
| Indiana | $51,600 |
| Iowa | $49,980 |
| Kansas | $63,980 |
| Kentucky | $49,850 |
| Louisiana | $54,650 |
| Maryland | $60,100 |
| Massachusetts | $70,560 |
| Michigan | $60,940 |
| Minnesota | $67,900 |
| Missouri | $63,610 |
| Montana | $56,520 |
| Nebraska | $61,200 |
| New Jersey | $57,610 |
| New York | $72,170 |
| North Carolina | $57,250 |
| Ohio | $58,440 |
| Oklahoma | $61,580 |
| Oregon | $65,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,080 |
| South Carolina | $72,930 |
| Texas | $57,890 |
| Utah | $49,270 |
| Virginia | $46,540 |
| Washington | $66,160 |
| West Virginia | $49,550 |
| Wisconsin | $65,780 |
| Wyoming | $58,390 |
What Tools & Technology do Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators:
- Data entry software
- Route mapping software
- Time tracking software
- Electronic train management systems ETMS
How do I Become a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator?
Individuals working as a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator have obtained the following education levels:
What work experience do I need to become a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator?
Who Employs Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators?
The table below shows the approximate number of Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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