Signal and Track Switch Repairers

What the job really is

Install, inspect, test, maintain, or repair electric gate crossings, signals, signal equipment, track switches, section lines, or intercommunications systems within a railroad system.

At a glance

• Sector: Installation, Maintenance & Repair
• O*NET-SOC code: 49-9097
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Inspect and test operation, mechanical parts, and circuitry of gate crossings, signals, and signal equipment such as interlocks and hotbox detectors.
• Inspect electrical units of railroad grade crossing gates and repair loose bolts and defective electrical connections and parts.
• Test and repair track circuits.
• Drive motor vehicles to job sites.
• Install, inspect, maintain, and repair various railroad service equipment on the road or in the shop, including railroad signal systems.
• Tighten loose bolts, using wrenches, and test circuits and connections by opening and closing gates.
• Inspect switch-controlling mechanisms on trolley wires and in track beds, using hand tools and test equipment.
• Replace defective wiring, broken lenses, or burned-out light bulbs.
• Inspect, maintain, and replace batteries as needed.
• Record and report information about mileage or track inspected, repairs performed, and equipment requiring replacement.
• Lubricate moving parts on gate-crossing mechanisms and swinging signals.
• Clean lenses of lamps with cloths and solvents.

Tools and technology

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Adjustable hand wrenches, Articulating aerial lift equipment, Audio spectrum analyzers, Brush cutting equipment, Clamp-on ammeters, Closed circuit television CCTV systems, Digital oscilloscopes

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
• Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
• Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment
• Rail Car Repairers
• Avionics Technicians
• Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
• Lighting Technicians
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

Browse the verified job sources directory, or explore more occupations.

Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Signal and Track Switch Repairers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.