How to become a railway yard and track maintenance worker
Official title: Railway yard and track maintenance workers
Also called: Railway car oiler, Railway car greaser, Yard trainman/woman, Railway tie inspector, Track layer - railway, Trackwalker - railway, Yard worker - railway, Coupler - railway yard, Gandy dancer - railway, Rail grinder - railway, Railway car lubricator, Railway line inspector
Railway yard workers regulate yard traffic, couple and uncouple trains and perform related yard activities. Railway track maintenance workers operate machines and equipment to lay, maintain and repair railway tracks. They are employed by railway transport companies.
Main tasks
- Railway yard workers
- Operate control panel switches from railway yard tower to set traffic signals and to activate train switches that regulate railway traffic in railway yards
- Operate car retarders, turntables and track switches to align locomotives and cars as required for coupling, uncoupling or servicing
- Switch cars according to instructions which indicate the location, disposition and number of cars
- Lubricate moving parts of railway cars and locomotives
- Railway track maintenance workers
- Operate machines and equipment such as sleeper sliders, anchors, rail lifters, drag drills, drag diggers, rail saws and tie-bar cranes to lay, maintain, repair, and align railway tracks, to transfer, spread, level and tamp ballast around ties and rails and to clear snow from tracks
- Clean and make minor repairs to machines and equipment
How to become one
Some secondary school education is usually required. Experience as a railway labourer is required. On-the-job training is provided. Railway yard workers require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $70,200 a year The middle half earn $60,450 to $76,050.
- About 7,600 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 7,800 are projected by 2033. (+2.6%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Water transport deck and engine room crew
- Air transport ramp attendants
- Automotive and heavy truck and equipment parts installers and servicers
- Utility maintenance workers
- Public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers
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Questions people ask
How do I become a railway yard and track maintenance worker?
Some secondary school education is usually required. Experience as a railway labourer is required. On-the-job training is provided. Railway yard workers require a Canadian Rail Operating Rules certificate.
How much does a railway yard and track maintenance worker earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $70,200 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $60,450 to $76,050.
Is a railway yard and track maintenance worker a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 3% by 2033, from about 7,600 to about 7,800 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a railway yard and track maintenance worker?
Usually not. Only 8% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03