Career Overview
Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. May couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Watch for and relay traffic signals. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes. May watch for dragging equipment or obstacles on rights-of-way.
Also Known As
- Brakeman
- Locomotive Switch Operator
- Railroad Switchman
- Trainman
Alternate Job Titles
- Air Brake Operator
- Air Hose Coupler
- Area Brakeman
- Brake Holder
- Brake Rider
- Brakeman
- Car Coupler
- Car Hopper
- Car Rider
- Car Runner
- Car Shifter
- Car Shunter
- Carman
- Conductor
- Coupler
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
- Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
- Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
- Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
- Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.
- Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
- Observe tracks from left sides of locomotives to detect obstructions on tracks.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Transportation
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Near Vision
- Control Precision
- Oral Comprehension
- Far Vision
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Perceptual Speed
- Reaction Time
- Problem Sensitivity
- Speech Recognition
- Rate Control
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Stress Tolerance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Support
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
- Independence
- Achievement
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Google Android
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
Tools & Equipment
- Accelerometers
- Air horns
- Air pressure gauges
- Automatic track switching systems
- Battery gauges
- Buffer stops
- Car pullers
- Circuit breakers
- Clamp-on ammeters
- Cut-off valves
- Derailers
- Desktop computers
- Diesel freight engines
- Diesel powered freight engines
- Diesel powered generators
Work Environment
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $43,750 |
| Median | $65,480 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $80,840 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 12,460
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If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.