Signal and Track Switch Repairers

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

What you'd actually do

• 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.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; much of the day is spent working solo; it rewards working independently. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 15.3% of signal and track switch repairers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

Related careers

• Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
• Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
• First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
• Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
• Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
• Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment

Quick questions

How much does a signal and track switch repairer make?

The median pay is $44.45 per hour — roughly $92,500 a year, with the real range running from about $30.10/hr (10th percentile) to $57.48/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a signal and track switch repairer?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a signal and track switch repairer actually do all day?

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.