Also called: Railroad Brake and Switch Operators
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers build operations monitoring, coordination and operation and control skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (82%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | 82% | $58,870 | −14% | None |
| 2 | Hoist and Winch Operators | 79% | $56,450 | −18% | None |
| 3 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 78% | $58,640 | −15% | None |
| 4 | Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation | 76% | $92,100Pay for the broader BLS group “Transportation Inspectors” | Not compared | None |
| 5 | Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | 75% | $61,390 | −11% | None |
| 6 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 75% | $96,710 | +40% | None |
| 7 | Bridge and Lock Tenders | 75% | $57,700 | −16% | None |
| 8 | Gas Plant Operators | 74% | $87,820 | +28% | None |
| 9 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 73% | $59,850 | −13% | None |
| 10 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | 73% | $95,320 | +38% | None |
Compared with Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers, median $68,840. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
82% skill match · $58,870 · −14% pay
Equipment Selection · Operation and Control · Management of Personnel Resources
79% skill match · $56,450 · −18% pay
Equipment Selection · Repairing · Instructing
78% skill match · $58,640 · −15% pay
Repairing · Equipment Maintenance · Operations Analysis
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (82% skill match, median $58,870), Hoist and Winch Operators (79% skill match, median $56,450) and Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (78% skill match, median $58,640), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 9 pay more than railroad brake, signal, and switch operators and locomotive firers at the median. The biggest increases: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+40%, $96,710), Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (+38%, $95,320) and Captains, Mates, and Pilots of Water Vessels (+34%, $92,460).
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.