Will “Railroad Track Mechanic” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔
89% Chance of Automation
“Railroad Track Mechanic” will probably be replaced by robots.
This job is ranked #528 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.
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Job 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.
Job Details
- The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 47-4061.00
- The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 52,810.00
- The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 25.00
- Currently, there are 14,250 people on this job
☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators”.
Also Known As…
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
- Trackman
- Track Walker
- Track Supervisor
- Track Repairer
- Track Maintainer
- Track Laborer
- Track Inspector
- Track Equipment Operator (TEO)
- Rail Maintenance Worker
- Machine Operator
- Trackwalker
- Track Welder
- Track Surfacing Machine Operator
- Track Service Worker
- Track Service Person
- Track Repair Worker
- Track Repair Person
- Track Moving Machine Operator
- Track Mechanic
- Track Man
- Track Machine Operator Repairer
- Track Laying Machine Operator
- Track Laying Equipment Operator
- Track Layer
- Track Grinder Operator
- Track Dresser
- Stone Crusher Operator
- Slab Lifting Supervisor
- Section Laborer
- Section Hand
- Section Gang
- Railway Equipment Operator
- Rail Track Maintainer
- Rail Track Layer
- Portable Grinding Machine Operator
- Operator
- Oil Distributor Tender
- Emergency Service Restorer
- Ballast Cleaning Machine Operator
Tasks for “Railroad Track Mechanic”
- Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
- Weld sections of track together, such as switch points and frogs.
- Paint railroad signs, such as speed limits or gate-crossing warnings.
- Clean tracks or clear ice or snow from tracks or switch boxes.
- Engage mechanisms that lay tracks or rails to specified gauges.
- Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
- Clean, grade, or level ballast on railroad tracks.
- Clean or make minor repairs to machines or equipment.
- Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
- Drive graders, tamping machines, brooms, or ballast spreading machines to redistribute gravel or ballast between rails.
- Push controls to close grasping devices on track or rail sections so that they can be raised or moved.
- Dress and reshape worn or damaged railroad switch points or frogs, using portable power grinders.
- Operate single- or multiple-head spike pullers to pull old spikes from ties.
- Drive vehicles that automatically move and lay tracks or rails over sections of track to be constructed, repaired, or maintained.
- Turn wheels of machines, using lever controls, to adjust guidelines for track alignments or grades, following specifications.
- Operate single- or multiple-head spike driving machines to drive spikes into ties and secure rails.
- Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
- Spray ties, fishplates, or joints with oil to protect them from weathering.
- Grind ends of new or worn rails to attain smooth joints, using portable grinders.
- Raise rails, using hydraulic jacks, to allow for tie removal and replacement.
- Operate tie-adzing machines to cut ties and permit insertion of fishplates that hold rails.
- Drill holes through rails, tie plates, or fishplates for insertion of bolts or spikes, using power drills.
- Adjust controls of machines that spread, shape, raise, level, or align track, according to specifications.
- Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
- Operate track-wrench machines to tighten or loosen bolts at joints that hold ends of rails together.
- String and attach wire-guidelines machine to rails so that tracks or rails can be aligned or leveled.
Related Technology & Tools
- Tamping machines
- Grading equipment
- Power grinders
- Precision tape measures
- Rail-mounted cranes
- Portable track loading fixtures
- Jackhammers
- Laptop computers
- Weed cutters
- Safety glasses
- Dump trucks
- Track-wrench machines
- Hydraulic jacks
- Backhoes
- Picks
- Oxyacetylene torches
- Claw bars
- Air drills
- Global positioning system GPS receivers
- Hard hats
- Safety gloves
- Power washers
- Handheld computers
- Hi-rail vehicles
- Spike pullers
- Forklifts
- Pneumatic hammers
- Shielded arc welding tools
- Rail tongs
- Light pickup trucks
- Vernier calipers
- Protective ear plugs
- Tracked bulldozers
- Pesticide sprayers
- Shovels
- Gas-powered wrenches
- Track chisels
- Fall protection harnesses
- Adjustable hand wrenches
- Dollies
- Rail profile grinders
- Air-powered wrenches
- Rail drills
- Rail benders
- Rail saws
- Welders
- Precision files
- Grease guns
- Air purifying respirators
- Crowbars
- Timekeeping software
- Data entry software
- Microsoft Excel