Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
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.
Tasks Include:
- Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
- Clean tracks or clear ice or snow from tracks or switch boxes.
- Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
- Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
- Dress and reshape worn or damaged railroad switch points or frogs, using portable power grinders.
- Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
- Raise rails, using hydraulic jacks, to allow for tie removal and replacement.
- Adjust controls of machines that spread, shape, raise, level, or align track, according to specifications.
- Drill holes through rails, tie plates, or fishplates for insertion of bolts or spikes, using power drills.
- Grind ends of new or worn rails to attain smooth joints, using portable grinders.
- Operate track wrenches to tighten or loosen bolts at joints that hold ends of rails together.
- Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
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The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™; US Department of Labor (BLS); Virginia Workforce Connection. (Using onet28)
Projections Quick View:
Virginia: +7.4%
National: +4.7%
Education
High School Diploma
Job Zone:
Two: Some Preparation Needed
Income Range:
Highest ($50,000 and up)
Median Earnings:
National
$63,230.00
State
$61,370.00
Regional
