Rail Transportation Workers

How to become a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator or Locomotive Firer

Official title: Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers

Also called: Brakeman, Carman, Fireman, Locomotive Switch Operator, Railroad Brakeman, Railroad Switchman, Switch Operator, Switchman, Terminal Carman, Yard Switcher

Operate or monitor railroad track switches or locomotive instruments. May couple or uncouple rolling stock to make up or break up trains. Watch for and relay traffic signals. May inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and hand brakes. May watch for dragging equipment or obstacles on rights-of-way.

Main tasks

Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
Raise levers to couple and uncouple cars for makeup and breakup of trains.
Pull or push track switches to reroute cars.
Observe signals from other crew members so that work activities can be coordinated.
Conduct brake tests to determine the condition of brakes on trains.
Monitor trains as they go around curves to detect dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes.

How to become one

Railroad workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and several months of on-the-job training.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $68,840 a year The middle half earn $57,820 to $76,590.
About 10,700 people work in this job now, and about 10,800 are projected by 2035. (+0.8%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator or Locomotive Firer?

Railroad workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent and several months of on-the-job training.

How much does a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator or Locomotive Firer earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $68,840 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $57,820 to $76,590.

Is a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator or Locomotive Firer a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 10,700 people now and 10,800 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator or Locomotive Firer?

Usually not. Only 14% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator or Locomotive Firer?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.