🇺🇸American Dream Jobs
Construction47-4061.00Specialization

Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators

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.

$67,000
Median Pay
Less than 6 months
Training
🟡
AI-Augmented
📚Find TrainingCompare with other careersCalculate lifetime earnings
View Other Construction Workers

This is a specialization of

Other Construction Workers

AI Impact Assessment

AI Resilience Score

Score 4/6: low AI task exposure means AI will assist but humans remain essential

🟡AI-Augmented

How we calculated this:

AI Exposure
Low+2

0% of tasks can be accelerated by AI

Job Growth
Stable+1

+2% projected (2024-2034)

Human Advantage
Moderate+1

EPOCH score: 13/25

Total Score4/6
Methodology: v2.0 - GPTs are GPTs / BLS / EPOCH Additive ScoringUpdated: 2026-01-09
View full methodology →

Key Responsibilities

  • Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
  • Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
  • Weld sections of track together, such as switch points and frogs.
  • Observe leveling indicator arms to verify levelness and alignment of tracks.
  • Operate single- or multiple-head spike driving machines to drive spikes into ties and secure rails.
  • Operate track wrenches to tighten or loosen bolts at joints that hold ends of rails together.
  • Cut rails to specified lengths, using rail saws.
  • Lubricate machines, change oil, or fill hydraulic reservoirs to specified levels.
  • Drill holes through rails, tie plates, or fishplates for insertion of bolts or spikes, using power drills.
  • Clean tracks or clear ice or snow from tracks or switch boxes.

Education & Training

Typical Entry Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Time to Job Ready

0-1 years

Based on Job Zone 2. For formal education duration only, see education_duration.

Technology Skills

Track inspection softwareMicrosoft OfficeGPS systemsMaintenance tracking

Key Abilities

Control PrecisionManual DexterityMultilimb CoordinationProblem SensitivityArm-Hand SteadinessReaction TimeFar VisionFlexibility of ClosureVisualizationNear Vision

Ready to Start Your Career?

Find jobs and training programs for rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators- Median salary: $67K/year

🔍

Find Jobs

Search positions from LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and more. Get up to 50 relevant job listings with salary info.

  • Real-time results
  • Export to Excel
📚

Find Training

Discover training programs, certifications, and educational resources to help you get started or advance your career.

  • Local programs
  • DOL verified
Find Training Programs
Training data powered byCareerOneStop- U.S. Department of Labor

Compensation Details

$46,350
10th Percentile
$67,000
Median
$82,340
90th Percentile

Based on 18,770 employed workers

Also Known As

Ballast Cleaning Machine OperatorEmergency Service RestorerMachine OperatorMaintenance LaborerOil Distributor TenderPortable Grinding Machine OperatorRail Maintenance WorkerRail Track LayerRail Track MaintainerRailroad Track Mechanic

Data from O*NET 30.1 and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics

O*NET Code: 47-4061.00