Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operators

Lay, repair, and maintain track for standard or narrow-gauge railroad equipment used in regular railroad service or in plant yards, quarries, sand and gravel pits, and mines. Includes ballast cleaning machine operators and railroad bed tamping machine operators.

On the job, you would:

Patrol assigned track sections so that damaged or broken track can be located and reported.
Repair or adjust track switches, using wrenches and replacement parts.
Weld sections of track together, such as switch points and frogs.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		78%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		71%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		71%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		71%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		70%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		65%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		64%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		63%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		62%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		62%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		61%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		61%	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.
		59%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		59%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		58%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		55%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	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.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		61%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		72%	Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
		69%	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.
		69%	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.
		66%	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.
		66%	Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
		66%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		66%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		60%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
		60%	Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
		60%	Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
		60%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		56%	Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
		56%	Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
		56%	Rate Control - The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
		53%	Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
		53%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		53%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
		53%	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.
		53%	Response Orientation - The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
		53%	Dynamic Strength - The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
		53%	Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
		53%	Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
		53%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Locate equipment or materials in need of repair or replacement.

Clean equipment or facilities.

Maintain mechanical equipment.

Maintain construction tools or equipment.

Maintain mechanical equipment.

Cut metal components for installation.

Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.

Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.

Drill holes in construction materials.

Smooth surfaces with abrasive materials or tools.

Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.

Verify alignment of structures or equipment.

Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.

Clean equipment or facilities.

Maintain construction tools or equipment.

Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces.

Compact materials to create level bases.

Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces.

Compact materials to create level bases.

Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.

Apply sealants or other protective coatings.

Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.

Cut wood components for installation.

Apply paint to surfaces.

Weld metal components.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		99%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		97%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		95%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		89%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		85%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		85%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		85%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		85%	Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
		84%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		84%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		83%	Exposed to Hazardous Equipment - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
		78%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		77%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		76%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		75%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		75%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		74%	Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
		74%	Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting - How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
		73%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		73%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		73%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		72%	Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings - How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
		71%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		70%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		70%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		69%	Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
		68%	Exposed to Whole Body Vibration - How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (e.g., operate a jackhammer)?
		66%	Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment - How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
		64%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		60%	In an Open Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or equipment (e.g., tractor)?
		58%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		57%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		56%	Spend Time Walking and Running - How much does this job require walking and running?
		73%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		91%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		87%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
		87%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		86%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		85%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		83%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		82%	Performing General Physical Activities - 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.
		81%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		76%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		75%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		75%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		74%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		73%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		71%	Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
		70%	Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
		69%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		65%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		64%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		62%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		61%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		60%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		59%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		58%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		57%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		56%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		55%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		55%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		53%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		52%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Getting Started

Education:

90%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

10%

Less than a High School Diploma

Rail-Track Laying & Maintenance Equipment Operators

What they do:

On the job, you would:

Personality

Characteristics of this Career

Strengths

Values of the Work Environment

Aptitude

Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality

Job Details

Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent

Tasks & Values

Getting Started