What they do
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars.
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Also called: |
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
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Wages
Wage rates not available for Vermont but may be for the nation and other states at CareerOneStop |
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Industries of Employment
United States - 2020 |
Industry | Percent of total |
- Support activities for transportation
| 40% |
| 34% |
- Local government, excluding education and hospitals
| 10% |
- Transportation equipment manufacturing
| 6% |
| 4% |
More at BLS |
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Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about: |
- Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
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- Production and Processing
Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
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- Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
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- Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
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- Building and Construction
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
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More at O*NET |
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Skills
People in this career often have these skills: |
- Repairing
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
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- Troubleshooting
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
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- Equipment Maintenance
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
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- Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
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- Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
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More at O*NET |
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Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments: |
- Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
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- Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
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- Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
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What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler |
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Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need: |
- Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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- Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
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- Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
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- Independence
Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
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- Innovation
Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
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More at O*NET |
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Tasks
On the job, you would: |
- Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.
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- Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed.
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- Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.
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- Inspect the interior and exterior of rail cars coming into rail yards to identify defects and to determine the extent of wear and damage.
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- Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
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More at O*NET |
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Related Occupations
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Career Video
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Projected Employment
Projected employment not available for Vermont but may be for the nation and other states at CareerOneStop |
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Education and Experience:
- Typical education needed for entry
High school diploma or equivalent
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- Work experience in a related occupation
None
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- Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
Long-term on-the-job training
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Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications |
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Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. |
- Physical activity is Very Important
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- Level of activity is High
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Low | | High |
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Compare Occupations at O*NET |
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Job Zone
Some Preparation Needed |
- Specific Vocational Preparation Range
(4.0 to < 6.0) - A typical worker will require
over 3 months up to and including 1 year
of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
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Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP |
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Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have? |
Education level | | Percent of U.S. Workers |
Doctoral or professional degree or post-MA certificate | | 0% |
Master's degree or post-BA certificate | | 0% |
Bachelor's degree | | 0% |
Associate's degree | | 1% |
Certificate or some college, no degree | | 38% |
High school diploma or equivalent | | 61% |
Less than high school diploma | | 0% |
More at O*NET |
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Abilities
People in this career often have talent in: |
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
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- Control Precision
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
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- Manual Dexterity
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
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- Multilimb Coordination
The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
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- Finger Dexterity
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
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More at O*NET |
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Work Activities
In general, what you might do: |
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
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- Getting Information
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
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- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
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- Handling and Moving Objects
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
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- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
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More at O*NET |
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Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day: |
- Maintain repair or maintenance records.
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- Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems.
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- Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
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- Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
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- Inspect vehicles to determine overall condition.
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More at O*NET |
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Other Resources
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- CareerOneStop
resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
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- O*NET Online
nation's primary source of occupational information
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