Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator and Locomotive Firer resume
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Also called air brake operator, brake holder, brake rider and freight brake operator.
$68,840
Median pay a year
12,400
People do this work
6
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Pay and headcount are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lines are written from what the US Department of Labor records about this work.
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A Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator and Locomotive Firer resume, filled in
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Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator and Locomotive Firer
Summary
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operator driving locomotives and railcars, inspecting equipment, signaling engineers, and checking trains for supplies and brake conditions in train yards and industrial sites
Experience
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator and Locomotive Firer
Where you worked
Month Year to Month Year
Operated and drove locomotives and railcars in train yards and at industrial sites
Inspected couplings, air hoses, and journal boxes to ensure they were secure and working
Signaled locomotive engineers to start or stop trains using hand signals or radio
Monitored trains around curves to check for dragging equipment and smoking journal boxes
Checked trains for supplies like fuel, water, and sand before runs
Conducted brake tests to check the condition of brakes on trains
Received instructions from yardmasters about track assignments and cars to switch
Skills
Core Skills
Operating locomotives or rail vehicles, Inspecting locomotives, Maintaining locomotives and rail equipment, Monitoring equipment gauges, Monitoring engine operation, Observing equipment in operation, Monitoring traffic signals, Monitoring surroundings, Driver's license, Signaling others, Testing mechanical systems
Tools and software
Google Android, Microsoft Office software
Education
High School Diploma Your school, Year
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Observed train signals along routesSignaled engineers to start or stopPulled or pushed track switchesMonitored trains around curvesInspected couplings and air hosesClimbed ladders to set brakes
becomes
On your resume
Observed train signals along routes to verify meanings for locomotive engineers
Pulled and pushed track switches to reroute trains as needed, ensuring safe and efficient operations.
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Show what improved once the signals were verified
The line
Observed train signals along routes to verify meanings, reducing confusion for engineers
Show what improved once the signals were verified
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Reduced confusion for the engineersHelped prevent delays in train schedulesIncreased safety during train operations
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Add how often you rerouted trains
The line
Pulled and pushed track switches to reroute trains as needed, ensuring safe and efficient operations.
Add how often you rerouted trains
Pick one that fits
Several times each shiftOften during busy hoursRegularly throughout the day
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What it is made of
Skills for a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator and Locomotive Firer resume
What this work is made of. Rung offers these and keeps the ones you claim.
What are you good at?
Operating locomotives or rail vehicles
Signaling others
Inspecting locomotives
Maintaining locomotives and rail equipment
Monitoring equipment gauges
Monitoring engine operation
Observing equipment in operation
Monitoring traffic signals
Monitoring surroundings
Testing mechanical systems
Arranging maintenance activities
Climbing ladders or vehicles
The work itself
What a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator and Locomotive Firer does
The public record of what this job is, in one paragraph.
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.
What it pays
How much does a Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operator and Locomotive Firer make?
Annual pay across the United States. The middle figure is the median: half earn less than that, and half earn more.
25th percentile
$57,820
Median
$68,840
75th percentile
$76,590
About 12,400 people do this work in the United States.
What it pays in each state
State
25th percentile
Median
75th percentile
AL
$45,880
$56,050
$71,650
CA
$58,650
$58,770
$70,000
CO
$70,680
$76,140
$97,940
FL
$45,080
$58,250
$58,410
GA
$62,050
$75,540
$103,270
IA
$57,290
$80,910
$82,240
IL
$49,140
$76,290
$86,590
IN
$62,510
$64,530
$77,680
KS
$66,750
$66,990
$66,990
KY
$56,260
$56,410
$61,570
LA
$47,800
$54,260
$63,220
MD
$49,920
$79,180
$84,860
MI
$51,520
$66,970
$77,930
MO
$67,110
$67,110
$67,290
NC
$37,950
$54,810
$56,930
NJ
$63,710
$74,160
$78,500
NM
$63,800
$72,340
$76,590
NY
$63,700
$83,530
$83,530
OH
$49,640
$67,770
$70,210
PA
$38,140
$55,470
$73,350
TX
$46,810
$71,580
$71,860
WA
$83,480
$85,140
$85,140
WV
$44,260
$46,900
$60,810
WY
$44,920
$45,490
$56,270
Other names
Other names for this job
air brake operator, brake holder, brake rider, freight brake operator, railcar brake operator, railroad brake operator, railroad brake signal and switch operators and locomotive firers, road freight brake coupler, train brake operator, area brakeman, brakeman, dinkey brakeman.
More names for this work
enginehouse brakeman, freight brakeman, motor brakeman, narrow gauge brakeman, passenger brakeman, passenger train braker, railroad brakeman, train brakeman, train braker, yard brakeman, air hose coupler, car coupler, car hopper, car rider, car runner, car shifter, car shunter, carman, conductor, coupler, diesel locomotive fireman, diesel locomotive firer, dinkey engine fireman, dinkey engine firer, donkey engine fireman, donkey engine firer, dukey rider, electric locomotive fireman, electric locomotive firer, engineer assistant, fireman, firer, flagger, flagman, freight conductor, gang rider, locomotive fireman, locomotive firer, locomotive switch operator, nipper, operator helper, patcher, rail worker, railcar mechanic, railcar switchman, railroad carman, railroad fireman, railroad firer.
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This page is about the occupation Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers. What this job involves and what it is made of come from O*NET 30.3, the US Department of Labor's occupation database, refreshed July 2026; Rung writes those records into the plain sentences you see. Pay comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS release for 2025. Rung is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either agency. How Rung handles accuracy is on the accuracy page, and the full data credits are on the credits page.