Career
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
Run the brakes, signals and switches of trains.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
- Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
- Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
- Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.
- Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on objects & tools, then information & systems?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Coordination, Operation and Control.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though moderate-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of $68,840 a year and 900 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Railroad and Railway TransportationCIP 49.0208
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Locomotive Engineers$81,410 · +0.5%
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers$60,600 · +0.8%
- Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters$78,000 · +0.9%
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists$61,770 · +3.6%
- Hoist and Winch Operators$56,450 · +0.2%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.