Rail Car Repairers
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul railroad rolling stock, mine cars, or mass transit rail cars.
Also called: Freight Maintenance Specialist · Locomotive Repairman · Rail Car Maintenance Mechanic · Rail Car Mechanic · Rail Car Repairer · Rail Car Repairman
Median pay (national)
$65,680
$45,670–$92,000 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
18,300
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+2.8%
~1,500 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for rail car repairers shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $92,000 versus $45,670 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $65,680 leaves roughly 40% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +2.8% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 1,500 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 39 states with released data, Massachusetts pays the most for this role (median $97,660, +49% vs the national median), while West Virginia sits lowest at $48,180 — a 103% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Disassembler software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Repair or replace defective or worn parts such as bearings, pistons, and gears, using hand tools, torque wrenches, power tools, and welding equipment.
- Remove locomotives, car mechanical units, or other components, using pneumatic hoists and jacks, pinch bars, hand tools, and cutting torches.
- Test units for operability before and after repairs.
- Inspect components such as bearings, seals, gaskets, wheels, and coupler assemblies to determine if repairs are needed.
- Adjust repaired or replaced units as needed to ensure proper operation.
- Repair, fabricate, and install steel or wood fittings, using blueprints, shop sketches, and instruction manuals.
- Perform scheduled maintenance, and clean units and components.
- Examine car roofs for wear and damage, and repair defective sections, using roofing material, cement, nails, and waterproof paint.
- Paint car exteriors, interiors, and fixtures.
- Record conditions of cars, and repair and maintenance work performed or to be performed.
Tools & technology
- Disassembler software
- Microsoft Windows
- Mozilla Firefox
- Microsoft Internet Explorer
- RailTech Software Solutions Rail 21 Management System
- RailTech Software Systems Mars for the 21st Century
- WheelShop Automation.com Wheel Shop Management Suite
- Adobe Acrobat
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Mechanical
- Production and Processing
- Design
- Administration and Management
- Building and Construction
- Engineering and Technology
- Transportation
- Mathematics