Career Explorer Transport and logistics
Human edge, steady
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers
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.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 71% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +0.8% by 2035, slower than average. The work leans on physical dexterity and ethical judgement.
AI struggles with much of this work. Hiring is expected to grow slower than average, or to shrink.
- Median pay (2025)
- $68,840
- Job growth to 2035
- +0.8%
- Openings a year
- 900
- People doing it (2025)
- 10,700
- Usual route in
- High school diploma, then moderate on-the-job training
Where people already use AI for this work
- Communicate with others about operational plans or activities
- Connect components or supply lines to equipment or tools
- Provide general assistance to others, such as customers, patrons, or motorists
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Signal others to coordinate work activities
- Operate transportation equipment or vehicles
- Inspect vehicles
What the work looks like
- Signal locomotive engineers to start or stop trains when coupling or uncoupling cars, using hand signals, lanterns, or radio communication.
- Inspect locomotives to detect damaged or worn parts.
- Observe train signals along routes and verify their meanings for engineers.
- Operate and drive locomotives, diesel switch engines, dinkey engines, flatcars, and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites.
- Inspect couplings, air hoses, journal boxes, and handbrakes to ensure that they are securely fastened and functioning properly.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Aircraft service attendantsHuman edge, growing, Index 91, +5.6%
- Industrial truck and tractor operatorsHuman edge, steady, Index 82, +1.5%
- Heavy and tractor-trailer truck driversHuman edge, growing, Index 74, +3.8%
- Pump operators, except wellhead pumpersHuman edge, growing, Index 79, +4.3%
Also known as: Brakeman, Carman, Railroad Switchman, Terminal Carman, Fireman, Locomotive Switch Operator, Railroad Brakeman, Switch Operator.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.