Rail Car Repairers
What they do
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About rail car repairers
Other titles
Freight Maintenance Specialist, Locomotive Repairman, Rail Car Maintenance Mechanic, Rail Car Mechanic, Rail Car Repairer, Rail Car Repairman, Rail Car Sandblaster, Rail Car Welder, Railroad Car Repairman, Train Car Repairman
Tasks they perform
- Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.
- Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed.
- Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.
Skills they need
- Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as rail car repairers.
Industrial Machinery Mechanics
In demand
In demand careers have high-growth, high-demand, and emerging jobs critical to Texas. They are based on economic indicators like in demand industries, labor market trends, and economic conditions, provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Automotive Body and Related Repairers
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Additional career information and resources
Learn more about rail car repairers with these helpful sites.
- Associated Equipment Distributors (external link opens new tab)
- International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (external link opens new tab)
- National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (external link opens new tab)
- National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (external link opens new tab)
- National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians (external link opens new tab)
- The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (external link opens new tab)
- Transport Workers Union of America AFL-CIO (external link opens new tab)