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Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

General Information

Description

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.

Business Breakdown

People in this career work in these sectors.

  1. Private, for profit72.29%
  2. State and local government11.72%
  3. Private, not for profit7.32%
  4. Self-employed5.09%
  5. Federal government3.58%

Workplace at a Glance

What you can expect to experience while on the job

  • Responsibility
  • Exposure to job hazards
  • Physical activity
  • Decision making
  • Repetitiveness
  • Level of competition
  • Time pressure
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Salary

Average Salary

Salary

$63,230

State-by-state Salary

Gray states indicate no data available

$80,340
$37,110
No Information for this section

Education & Interests

Most Common Education Levels

People in this career achieve this level of education.

  • High school 90%
  • Less than high school 9%
  • Some college 0%
  • Master's degree 0%
  • Doctoral degree 0%
  • Bachelor's degree 0%
  • Associate's degree 0%
  • Post baccalaureate 0%
  • Post-doctoral training 0%
  • Post-master's certificate 0%
  • First professional degree 0%
  • Post-secondary certificate 0%

Related College Majors

Select major to see colleges that offer it

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS

You may find this career fulfilling if you consider yourself to be:

  • Realistic — You have an interest in physically working with equipment, materials or structures.

Not sure what characteristics best describe you? Take the RIASEC Test.

Skills at a Glance

Skills helpful in this career

  • Verbal skills
  • Critical thinking & problem solving
  • Equipment operation & maintenance
  • Math & science skills
  • Technology design & control
  • Leadership

Knowledge

  • Building and Construction
  • Mechanical
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Transportation
  • Mathematics

Gain insights into your knowledge by using the ASVAB Career Exploration Program

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