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Occupation AtlasRailroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

O*NET · 53-4022.00

Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

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 called Air Brake Operator · Air Hose Coupler · Area Brakeman · Brake Holder · Brake Rider · Brakeman · Car Coupler · Car Shifter
58 more

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Job Zone 2 — Some Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 2: Some Preparation Needed

Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma, some previous work-related skill or experience, and a few months to a year of training with experienced workers.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic7.00
  • C Conventional4.25
  • I Investigative2.07
  • E Enterprising1.43
  • S Social1.22
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent87%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate3%
  • Some College Courses5%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree5%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (27%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (40%)
On-the-job training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (40%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Monitoringbasic3.43.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Coordination3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Schedule appointments for a medical clinic
  • Operation and Control3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Determine whether a subordinate has a good excuse for being late
  • Active Listeningbasic3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Take a customer's order
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.02.5Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Speakingbasic3.02.4Level 2 looks like: Greet tourists and explain tourist attractions
  • Social Perceptiveness2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Notice that customers are angry because they have been waiting too long
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic2.92.3Level 2 looks like: Read step-by-step instructions for completing a form
  • Time Management2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Complex Problem Solving2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
Show the other 23
  • Quality Control Analysis2.62.3Level 2 looks like: Inspect a draft email for errors (e.g., grammar, punctuation)
  • Active Learningbasic2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Writingbasic2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Troubleshooting2.42.0Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Systems Evaluation2.41.8Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.32.3Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Instructing2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Service Orientation2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Persuasion2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Negotiation2.11.5Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Equipment Maintenance2.01.8Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Systems Analysis2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Repairing1.92.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Mathematicsbasic1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Management of Material Resources1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Equipment Selection1.61.3Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Management of Financial Resources1.60.8
  • Technology Design1.50.5
  • Installation1.1—
  • Programming1.1—
  • Operations Analysis1.0—
  • Sciencebasic1.0—

Tasks

15 core · 10 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.4.8
  2. Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.4.6
  3. Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.4.6
  4. Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.4.6
  5. Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.4.6
  6. Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.4.6
  7. Conduct brake tests to determine the condition of brakes on trains.4.5
  8. Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.4.4
  9. Receive oral or written instructions from yardmasters or yard conductors indicating track assignments and cars to be switched.4.4
  10. Observe tracks from left sides of locomotives to detect obstructions on tracks.4.3
  11. Inspect tracks, cars, and engines for defects and to determine service needs, sending engines and cars for repairs as necessary.4.3
  12. Signal other workers to set brakes and to throw track switches when switching cars from trains to way stations.4.2
Show the other 13
  1. Connect air hoses to cars, using wrenches.4.0
  2. Record numbers of cars available, numbers of cars sent to repair stations, and types of service needed.3.9
  3. Make minor repairs to couplings, air hoses, and journal boxes, using hand tools.3.8
  4. Inspect locomotives to detect damaged or worn parts.4.7
  5. Monitor oil, temperature, and pressure gauges on dashboards to determine if engines are operating safely and efficiently.4.6
  6. Operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites.4.6
  7. Climb ladders to tops of cars to set brakes.4.5
  8. Check to see that trains are equipped with supplies such as fuel, water, and sand.4.5
  9. Set flares, flags, lanterns, or torpedoes in front and at rear of trains during emergency stops to warn oncoming trains.4.4
  10. Refuel and lubricate engines.4.4
  11. Start diesel engines to warm engines before runs.4.3
  12. Operate locomotives in emergency situations.4.0
  13. Ride atop cars that have been shunted, and turn handwheels to control speeds or stop cars at specified positions.3.7

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Transportation4.45.3Level 4 looks like: Drive a semi-truck through a busy city
  • Public Safety and Security4.04.8Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Administration and Management3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Monitor progress of a project to ensure timely completion
  • English Language3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Customer and Personal Service3.04.2Level 4 looks like: Be responsible for 10 children at daycare
  • Education and Training2.83.5Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Computers and Electronics2.72.6
  • Administrative2.41.5Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
Show all 33
  • Engineering and Technology2.42.2Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Law and Government2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Telecommunications2.42.8
  • Geography2.22.4Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • Mathematics2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Add two numbers
  • Mechanical2.12.4Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Production and Processing2.11.7Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Building and Construction1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Physics1.71.7Level 1 looks like: Use a crowbar to pry open a box
  • Design1.61.1Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.61.2Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Communications and Media1.41.0Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Economics and Accounting1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Psychology1.41.1Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Foreign Language1.3—
  • Sales and Marketing1.30.9Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Chemistry1.2—
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.2—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.2—
  • Biology1.1—
  • Food Production1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.1—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Far Vision3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Problem Sensitivity3.82.9Level 2 looks like: Recognize that an unplugged lamp won't work
  • Control Precision3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Adjust farm tractor controls
  • Reaction Time3.63.5Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Near Vision3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Read indicators on the dashboard of a car
  • Response Orientation3.53.3Level 4 looks like: Use either the brake or gas pedal when your vehicle is skidding
  • Oral Comprehension3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression3.43.0Level 2 looks like: Place an order at a restaurant drive-thru
Show all 52
  • Speech Clarity3.42.8
  • Extent Flexibility3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Reach for a box on a high warehouse shelf
  • Multilimb Coordination3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Operate a forklift truck in a warehouse
  • Selective Attention3.32.8Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Speech Recognition3.32.8Level 2 looks like: Recognize the voice of a coworker
  • Stamina3.32.8
  • Deductive Reasoning3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
  • Flexibility of Closure3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Information Ordering3.12.8Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Manual Dexterity3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Pack oranges in crates as quickly as possible
  • Static Strength3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Pull a 40-pound sack of fertilizer across the lawn
  • Trunk Strength3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Auditory Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Gross Body Equilibrium3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Perceptual Speed3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Finger Dexterity2.92.5Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Gross Body Coordination2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Diagnose what's wrong with a car engine from its sound
  • Inductive Reasoning2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Decide what to wear based on the weather report
  • Rate Control2.92.9
  • Time Sharing2.92.8Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Visualization2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Written Comprehension2.92.6Level 2 looks like: Understand signs on the highway
  • Dynamic Strength2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Category Flexibility2.62.6Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Spatial Orientation2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.62.3Level 1 looks like: Separate laundry into colors and whites
  • Depth Perception2.52.3Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Written Expression2.52.0Level 1 looks like: Write a note to remind someone to take food out of the freezer
  • Explosive Strength2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Glare Sensitivity2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Speed of Closure2.41.8
  • Peripheral Vision2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Sound Localization2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.11.9Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Memorization2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Fluency of Ideas1.91.9Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Night Vision1.91.6Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Number Facility1.91.1Level 1 looks like: Add 2 and 7
  • Originality1.91.9Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Hand pick a bushel of apples from a tree
  • Mathematical Reasoning1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Determine how much 20 oranges will cost when they are priced at 5 for 4 dollars
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.40.6

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Performing General Physical Activities4.65.7
  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.45.2Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.45.2Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.24.3Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Getting Information4.15.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.14.7Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.13.1Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.95.3Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
Show all 41
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.85.2Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Documenting/Recording Information3.74.1Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards3.73.7Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.64.0Level 4 looks like: Drive an 18-wheel tractor-trailer
  • Training and Teaching Others3.64.5Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.54.2Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge3.54.1Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Processing Information3.44.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.13.8Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.14.2Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Assisting and Caring for Others3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Thinking Creatively3.03.6Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.82.7
  • Developing and Building Teams2.83.4Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.83.2Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Interpret a blood pressure reading
  • Performing Administrative Activities2.41.7Level 1 looks like: Complete routine paperwork
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Skim a short article to gather the main point
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public2.12.4Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Determine whether to remove a tree that has been damaged
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.01.6Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that requires little advising of others
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.01.3Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Working with Computers1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Enter employee information into a database
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources1.71.1Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.60.5Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment1.4—
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.4—

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9
  • Exposed to Contaminants4.8
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.8
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.8
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.7
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls4.6
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.6
  • Contact With Others4.5
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.5

Technology

8 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (2)

  • Google Androidhot
  • Microsoft Office softwarehot

Hot (2; 2 more marked hot above)

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Outlook
Other tools (4)
  • Electronic train management system software
  • Electronic train management systems ETMS
  • Route mapping software
  • Time tracking software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Locomotive Engineers
  2. Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
  3. Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters
  4. Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
  5. Hoist and Winch Operators
  6. Signal and Track Switch Repairers
  7. Rail Car Repairers
  8. Subway and Streetcar Operators
  9. Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
  10. Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.