Railroad workers held about 91,100 jobs in 2018. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up railroad workers was distributed as follows:
| Railroad conductors and yardmasters | 39,500 |
| Locomotive engineers | 32,200 |
| Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators | 13,400 |
| Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers | 5,500 |
| Locomotive firers | 500 |
The largest employers of railroad workers were as follows:
| Rail transportation | 87% |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 6 |
Rail yard engineers and brake, signal, and switch operators spend most of their time working outside, regardless of weather conditions.
Conductors on passenger trains generally work in cleaner, more comfortable conditions than conductors on freight trains. However, conductors on passenger trains sometimes must respond to upset or unruly passengers when a train is delayed.
Work Schedules
Because trains are scheduled to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, many railroad workers sometimes work nights, weekends, and holidays. Most rail employees work full time. Federal regulations require a minimum number of rest hours for train operators.
Locomotive engineers and conductors whose trains travel long routes can be away from home for long periods of time. Those who work on passenger trains with short routes generally have more predictable schedules. Workers on some freight trains have irregular schedules.
For engineers and conductors, seniority (the number of years on the job) usually dictates who receives the most desired shifts. Some engineers and conductors, called extra board, are hired on a temporary basis and get an assignment only when a railroad needs an extra or substitute worker on a certain route.
Workers in railroad occupations generally need a high school diploma or equivalent and several months of on-the-job training.
Education
Rail companies typically require a high school diploma or equivalent, especially for locomotive engineers and conductors.
Training
Locomotive engineers generally receive 2 to 3 months of on-the-job training before they can operate a train on their own. Typically, this training involves riding with an experienced engineer who teaches them the characteristics of that particular train route.
During training, an engineer learns the track length, where the switches are, and any unusual features of the track. An experienced engineer who switches to a new route also has to spend a few months in training to learn the route with an engineer who is familiar with it. In addition, railroad companies provide continuing education so that engineers can maintain their skills.
Most railroad companies have 1 to 3 months of on-the-job training for conductors and yardmasters. Amtrak (the passenger train company) and some of the larger freight railroad companies operate their own training programs. Smaller and regional railroads may send conductors to a central training facility or a community college.
Yardmasters may be sent to training programs or may be trained by an experienced yardmaster. They learn how to operate remote locomotive technology and how to manage railcars in the yard.
Conductors and yardmasters working for freight railroads also learn the proper procedures for loading and unloading different types of cargo. Conductors on passenger trains learn ticketing procedures and how to handle passengers.
Rail yard engineers and signal and switch operators also receive on-the-job training, generally through a company training program. This program may last a few weeks to a few months, depending on the company and the complexity of the job. The program may include some time in a classroom and some hands-on experience under the direction of an experienced employee.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Most locomotive engineers first work as conductors for several years.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Locomotive engineers must be certified by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The certification, conducted by the railroad that employs them, involves a written knowledge test, a skills test, and a supervisor determining that the engineer understands all physical aspects of the particular route on which he or she will be operating.
An experienced engineer who changes routes must be recertified for the new route. Even engineers who do not switch routes must be recertified every few years.
At the end of the certification process, the engineer must pass a vision and hearing test.
Conductors who operate on national, regional, or commuter railroads are also required to become certified. To receive certification, new conductors must pass a test that has been designed and administered by the railroad and approved by the FRA.
Advancement
Rail yard engineers, switch operators, and signal operators can advance to become conductors or yardmasters. Some conductors or yardmasters advance to become locomotive engineers.
Workers in railroad occupations typically have an interest in the Building, Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.
If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a railroad worker, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Workers in railroad occupations should also possess the following specific qualities:
Communication skills . All rail employees have to be able to communicate effectively with each other to avoid accidents and keep the trains on schedule.
Customer-service skills . Conductors on passenger trains ensure customers’ comfort, make announcements, and answer any questions a passenger has. They must be courteous and patient. They may have to deal with unruly or upset passengers.
Decision-making skills . When operating a locomotive, engineers must be able to make fast decisions to avoid accidents.
Hand-eye coordination . Locomotive engineers have to operate various controls while staying aware of their surroundings.
Hearing ability . To show that they can hear warning signals and communicate with other employees, locomotive engineers have to pass a hearing test conducted by their rail company.
Leadership skills . On some trains, a conductor directs a crew. Yardmasters oversee other rail yard workers.
Mechanical skills. All rail employees work with complex machines. Most have to be able to adjust equipment when it does not work properly. Some rail yard engineers spend most of their time fixing broken equipment.
Physical strength . Some rail yard engineers have to lift heavy equipment.
Speaking skills . Conductors on passenger trains announce stations and make other announcements. They must be able to speak clearly so passengers understand what they are saying.
Visual ability. To drive a train, locomotive engineers have to pass a vision test conducted by their rail company. Eyesight, peripheral vision, and color vision may be tested.
The median annual wage for railroad workers was $61,480 in May 2018. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $43,050, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $95,140.
Median annual wages for railroad workers in May 2018 were as follows:
| Locomotive firers | $63,820 |
| Railroad conductors and yardmasters | 62,930 |
| Locomotive engineers | 62,100 |
| Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators | 57,260 |
| Rail yard engineers, dinkey operators, and hostlers | 52,630 |
In May 2018, the median annual wages for railroad workers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Rail transportation | $62,350 |
| Local government, excluding education and hospitals | 59,560 |
Trains are scheduled to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, meaning that many railroad workers sometimes work nights, weekends, and holidays. Most rail employees work full time. Federal regulations require a minimum number of rest hours for train operators.
Locomotive engineers and conductors whose trains travel long routes can be away from home for long periods of time. Those who work on passenger trains with short routes generally have a more predictable schedule. Workers on some freight trains have irregular schedules.
For engineers and conductors, seniority (the number of years on the job) usually dictates who receives the most desired shifts. Some engineers and conductors, called extra board, are hired on a temporary basis and get an assignment only when a railroad needs an extra or substitute worker on a certain route.
Overall employment of railroad workers is projected to decline 2 percent from 2018 to 2028. Decreasing demand for the transportation of bulk commodities, such as coal and oil, may cause some railroads to reduce employment in an effort to become more efficient.
As more pipelines open up in the oil and natural gas-producing areas, the need for rail transportation in these areas may decline. In addition, more power plants are increasingly using natural gas instead of coal for electricity production, which should contribute to reduced demand for coal.
However, an increase in intermodal freight—the shipment of goods through multiple transportation modes—may increase demand for some railroad workers.
Employment of locomotive firers is projected to decline 68 percent from 2018 to 2028. Most railroads are phasing out this occupation, as their duties are typically performed by locomotive engineers and conductors.
Job Prospects
Job opportunities should be competitive for railroad workers. Job openings will primarily stem from the need to replace retiring workers.
For more information about training programs, certifications, and job opportunities in rail transportation, visit
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)