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.
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
SOC: 53-4022 O*NET: 53-4022.00
Median Salary
$65,480
per year
Job Growth
📉 1%
Slower (2024-2034)
Annual Openings
1
projected jobs/year
Education Level
High school diploma or equivalent
Job Zone 2
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.
What does a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers do?
How much can you earn?
Entry Level
$43,750
10th percentile
Early Career
$51,730
25th percentile
Median
$65,480
50th percentile
Experienced
$70,130
75th percentile
Top Earners
$80,840
90th percentile
National Salary Distribution
10th
$43,750
25th
$51,730
Middle 50%
MEDIAN
$65,480
Mean: $63,170
75th
$70,130
90th
$80,840
Middle 50% of earners
Median salary
Mean (average)
Key Insights
- •Salary range spans $37,090 from entry level to top earners
- •Middle 50% earn between $51,730 and $70,130
- •Salary spread is 28.1% around the median, showing moderate variation
- •Total national employment: 12,460 professionals
What's the job outlook?
Job Market Intelligence
Medium Demand
Market demand
Medium Risk
Automation risk
Current Employment
National Employment:11,000
Top Industries
Rail Transportation79%
Rail Transportation79%
Support Activities for Transportation13.7%
10-Year Outlook
Growth Rate:+1%
Annual Openings:1,000
Employment Projections
2024 (Current)11,000
Current
2034 (Projected)11,100
+1%
+100
Employment Change
+1%
Growth Rate
10
Year Projection
Growth Category: More slowly than average
Geographic Salary & Employment Data
Explore where Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers professionals work across the United States
Showing 15 of 25 locations
Texas
2,050 jobs$69,8401.83x
Illinois
1,410 jobs$60,1302.88x
California
1,200 jobs$57,7200.82x
Missouri
540 jobs$65,4802.28x
Kansas
460 jobs$65,3703.97x
Washington
390 jobs$61,2101.37x
Pennsylvania
360 jobs$51,9900.74x
Nebraska
350 jobs$70,4504.32x
Wyoming
350 jobs$48,42015.40x
Iowa
330 jobs$77,1502.63x
Alabama
300 jobs$48,4601.78x
Kentucky
260 jobs$56,0901.62x
Colorado
250 jobs$69,0401.07x
New York
180 jobs$00.23x
Florida
170 jobs$64,2900.22x
Understanding the Data
Location Quotient (LQ):
- • LQ > 1.0: More jobs than national average
- • LQ = 1.0: Same as national average
- • LQ < 1.0: Fewer jobs than national average
Data Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024
Key Growth Factors
Standard growth expectations for this occupation
What skills do you need?
Top 10 Most Important Skills
#1
Monitoring
100%
#2
Operations Monitoring
94%
#3
Active Listening
86%
#4
Critical Thinking
80%
#5
Operation and Control
74%
#6
Reading Comprehension
66%
#7
Judgment and Decision Making
60%
#8
Coordination
54%
#9
Social Perceptiveness
46%
#10
Time Management
40%
Skills Overview
Monitoring
advanced5.0
100%
Operations Monitoring
advanced4.7
94%
Active Listening
intermediate4.3
86%
Critical Thinking
intermediate4.0
80%
Operation and Control
intermediate3.7
74%
Reading Comprehension
basic3.3
66%
Judgment and Decision Making
intermediate3.0
60%
Coordination
basic2.7
54%
Skills are rated on a scale of 0-5, with 5 being the most important. The complexity level indicates how advanced the skill typically needs to be.
Filter:
Sort by:
Monitoring
advancedImportance100%
skills
5.0/5.0
Operations Monitoring
advancedImportance94%
skills
4.7/5.0
Active Listening
intermediateImportance86%
skills
4.3/5.0
Critical Thinking
intermediateImportance80%
abilities
4.0/5.0
Operation and Control
intermediateImportance74%
abilities
3.7/5.0
Reading Comprehension
basicImportance66%
abilities
3.3/5.0
Judgment and Decision Making
intermediateImportance60%
abilities
3.0/5.0
Coordination
basicImportance54%
skills
2.7/5.0
Social Perceptiveness
basicImportance46%
skills
2.3/5.0
Time Management
basicImportance40%
skills
2.0/5.0
Highly Transferable Skills
These skills are valuable across multiple career paths, making career transitions easier:
Crane and Tower Operators73%
5 shared skills
Office Machine Operators, Except Computer73%
5 shared skills
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders73%
5 shared skills
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Assemblers70%
5 shared skills
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers67%
5 shared skills
Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film67%
5 shared skills
Skills by Career Stage
Entry Level
Must Have:
- ✓Monitoring
- ✓Active Listening
Learn on the Job:
- →Coordination
- →Reading Comprehension
- →Judgment and Decision Making
Mid Career
Expected:
- ✓Operations Monitoring
- ✓Monitoring
- ✓Active Listening
- ✓Critical Thinking
Senior Level
Mastery Required:
- ★Active Listening
- ★Critical Thinking
- ★Operation and Control
Skill Development Tips
- •Focus on developing the top 5 skills first - they have the highest impact on career success
- •Transferable skills open doors to related careers and provide flexibility
- •Balance technical skills with soft skills for well-rounded professional development
- •Entry-level positions prioritize foundational skills that can be built upon over time
What technology will you use?
Technology & Digital Skills
Essential technology proficiencies for Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
Technology Intensity
Medium
Digital Literacy Requirements
This career requires intermediate digital literacy
1
Basic
2
Intermediate
3
Advanced
4
Expert
Key Digital Competencies:
Office productivity softwareIndustry-specific applicationsBasic data entry and managementDigital communication tools
🔥
Hot Technologies in Demand
These technologies are currently trending and highly sought after in this field
Microsoft Outlook
🔥 Hot TechMicrosoft Excel
🔥 Hot TechTechnology Stack
Technology Stack Overview
Key technologies used in this career
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Excel
📚 Technology Learning Resources
Recommended Certifications
- •Vendor-specific software certifications
- •Industry-recognized technology credentials
- •Professional development courses
Online Learning Platforms
- •LinkedIn Learning - Comprehensive technology courses
- •Coursera - University-level programs
- •Udemy - Practical skills training
💡 Technology Skill Development Tips
- •Focus on mastering hot technologies first - they're currently most in-demand
- •Build a portfolio demonstrating your proficiency with key tools and software
- •Stay current through continuous learning - technology evolves rapidly
- •Consider vendor certifications to validate your skills to employers
What's the work environment like?
🏗️
Location
Varies
💪
Physical Demand
LOW
👥
Team Orientation
Varies
🤝
Customer Interaction
NONE
💡Is This Work Environment Right for You?
Consider these factors when evaluating if you'll thrive in this work environment:
- •Are you comfortable working in varies environments?
- •Can you meet low physical demands?
What are the key tasks?
Tasks & Responsibilities
21
Core Tasks
8
Daily Tasks
20
Work Activities
0
Emerging Tasks
Filter:
Sort by:
Training & Development (8)General Responsibilities (10)Communication & Coordination (1)Operations & Execution (2)
1
Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Training & Development100% perform100%
2
Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Training & Development97% perform98%
3
Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities94% perform96%
4
Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Communication & Coordination91% perform94%
5
Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Training & Development88% perform92%
6
Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities85% perform90%
7
Observe tracks from left sides of locomotives to detect obstructions on tracks.
🔴Daily
Importance:
General Responsibilities82% perform88%
8
Operate locomotives in emergency situations.
🔴Daily
Importance:
Operations & Execution79% perform86%
9
Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.
🟡Weekly
Importance:
Training & Development76% perform84%
10
Climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes.
🟡Weekly
Importance:
General Responsibilities73% perform82%
💡 Key Takeaways
- •Daily tasks focus primarily on training & development activities
- •33% of tasks are performed by most workers in this occupation
- •Career advancement brings increased leadership and strategic responsibilities
What career paths are available?
Career Pathways
0
Advancement Opportunities
0
Lateral Move Options
0%
Avg. Salary Increase
Advancement Opportunities
Typical career progression paths from Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
💡 Career Planning Tips
- •Most successful advancement happens after 3-5 years of experience
- •Lateral moves can provide valuable cross-functional experience for future leadership roles
- •Focus on developing skills that are transferable across multiple career paths
- •Consider industry trends when planning long-term career moves
Is this career right for you?
Personality & Values Fit
Is This Career Right for You?
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers professionals typically have a RCI Holland code and highly value support
RRealistic
CConventional
IInvestigative
Important Personality Traits
Work styles that contribute to success as a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
Dependability
CriticalDependability
Importance Level4.53
Attention to Detail
Very ImportantAttention to Detail
Importance Level4.25
Stress Tolerance
Very ImportantStress Tolerance
Importance Level4.09
Self-Control
Very ImportantSelf-Control
Importance Level4.02
Adaptability/Flexibility
ImportantAdaptability/Flexibility
Importance Level3.87
Independence
ImportantIndependence
Importance Level3.84
Complete Work Styles Profile
Dependability
4.5
Attention to Detail
4.3
Stress Tolerance
4.1
Self-Control
4.0
Adaptability/Flexibility
3.9
Independence
3.8
Cooperation
3.8
Integrity
3.8
Initiative
3.7
Persistence
3.5
💡 Tips for Career Fit Success
- •While personality fit is important, skills can be developed with practice and training
- •Consider informational interviews to better understand the day-to-day personality requirements
- •Work environments vary by employer - research specific companies for cultural fit
- •Your interests and values may evolve - reassess periodically throughout your career
What education is required?
Education Level
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical duration: High school diploma or GED
Preparation Level
Job Zone 2
Some Preparation Needed
Experience Needed
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful
📚 Education Requirement
Required Level:High school diploma or equivalent
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work.
Training:
Training of a few months to a year
💼 Experience Requirement
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful
Common pathways to gain experience:
- • Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience
- • Vocational school programs (6 months to 2 years)
- • Industry certifications helpful
2
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
These occupations usually require a high school diploma and may require some vocational training or job-related course work.
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experienceVocational school programs (6 months to 2 years)Industry certifications helpful
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